Ukrainian battlefront bishop says country is ‘sensitive’ to pope’s words September 8, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News Since Auxiliary Bishop Maksym Ryabukha of Donetsk was installed in December 2022, 10 months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has driven more than 30,000 miles near the largely occupied areas of Eastern Ukraine to tend to his flock — and he feels right at home.
Ukrainian bishops warn pope that his Russia comments feed propaganda September 6, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News After Pope Francis told young Russian Catholics they were heirs of “the great, educated Russian Empire,” Ukraine’s bishops told him that some of his statements were “painful and difficult for the Ukrainian people” and are used by Russia to justify its invasion of Ukraine.
Pope warns of risk of getting ‘stiff neck’ by looking away from suffering August 31, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, Vatican, World News Society has slipped into a culture of indifference so pervasive that “our necks are going to get stiff” from constantly turning away from the suffering of marginalized people, Pope Francis said.
Pope extols Native American saint as model for responding to God’s call August 31, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News Like St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first native North American woman to be canonized, all Christians must embrace their unique call to service of God and neighbor as well as the personal crosses that come with it, Pope Francis said.
Pope confirms ‘second Laudato Si” will be an apostolic exhortation August 30, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis confirmed plans to publish a “second Laudato Si’,” which is expected to update and expand on his 2015 encyclical on the environment.
Pope’s peace day message to focus on ethical concerns over AI August 9, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Signaling the Vatican’s growing engagement in efforts to ensure the ethical development of new technologies, the Vatican has announced that “Artificial Intelligence and Peace” will be the theme for the next World Day of Peace, which is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2024.
Pope calls for inclusive church while in Portugal for WYD August 8, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, World Youth Day Portugal 2023 Pope Francis asked the 1.5 million young people who attended World Youth Day to take “what God has sown into your hearts” back to their home countries and build a joyful church that is open to all.
On flight to Rome, pope responds to questions about abuse, his health August 7, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, World Youth Day Portugal 2023 After a five-day trip to Portugal, which recently came to terms with its own clerical sex abuse crisis, Pope Francis said the Catholic Church must abandon its practice of covering up abuse and instead be “very open” about how it is confronting the crime.
Don’t be afraid to change the world, pope tells youths at WYD closing Mass August 6, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, World News, World Youth Day Portugal 2023 To end “Catholic Woodstock” — as World Youth Day has been called by the Portuguese press — Pope Francis told 1.5 million weary-eyed and sleep-deprived young people in Lisbon not to let their “great dreams” of changing the world be “stopped by fear.”
Pope calls for new Marian devotion at Fátima: ‘Our Lady in a Hurry’ August 5, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, World Youth Day Portugal 2023 Before 200,000 pilgrims at Fátima, many of them with tears in their eyes, Pope Francis called for a new Marian devotional title — “Our Lady in a Hurry” — to describe how Mary hastens to care for all her children.
‘Do you cry?’ pope asks 800,000 young people at WYD; so does Jesus, he says August 5, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, World Youth Day Portugal 2023 When feelings of suffering, anxiety and loneliness bring young people to tears, Jesus cries with them and walks alongside them on the way of the cross, Pope Francis said.
In interview, pope hints at future trips, next steps in peace mission August 5, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, World Youth Day Portugal 2023 While Pope Francis was visiting Portugal for World Youth Day, talk of future papal trips — including to Kosovo and Argentina — was making headlines as were some of his thoughts about the need for the Catholic Church to be open to all.
