Justin McLellan

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world.

Consecrated persons have ‘special role’ in fulfilling church’s mission, pope says

February 3, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

While Pope Francis was “on mission” in Africa he urged consecrated persons to embody the church’s missionary spirit in spreading the Gospel.

Scholars, diplomats reflect on U.S. and church’s response to the Holocaust

January 31, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

More than three-quarters of a century after the largest genocide in history, the United States and the Catholic Church are still making sense of their response to the Holocaust.

U.S.-born priest to lead Vatican body overseeing selection of world’s bishops

January 31, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News

Pope Francis has chosen Chicago-born Bishop Robert F. Prevost of Chiclayo, Peru, to succeed Canadian Cardinal Ouellet as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Pope Francis condemns ‘spiral of death’ in the Holy Land

January 30, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

The “spiral of death” that has materialized in the Holy Land in recent days threatens the little remaining trust that exists between Israelis and Palestinians, Pope Francis said.

Christians in affluent societies must combat ‘throwaway culture,’ pope says

January 30, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

Christians must combat the prevalent culture of wastefulness by becoming poor in spirit, Pope Francis said.

Ukraine’s religious leaders renew invitation to pope to visit Kyiv

January 26, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News

Ukraine’s religious leaders asked Pope Francis to visit Kyiv, said Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Pope thanks Ukrainian religious leaders for unity in the face of conflict

January 25, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News

As war ravages Ukraine, the country cannot be divided among religious confessions but must be united behind “mother Ukraine,” Pope Francis said.

After California shooting, pope says world is ‘obsessed’ with guns

January 25, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Gun Violence, News, Vatican, World News

After the shooting Jan. 21 in Monterey Park, California, that killed 11 people and injured nine others, Pope Francis said that “the world is obsessed with having guns.”

Christians must not be oppressed by guilt, but filled with joy, pope says

January 25, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Evangelization, Feature, News, Vatican, World News

Christians must not “put pressure on others” to convert or induce in them “feelings of guilt,” but take a weight off their shoulders through joyfully sharing the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

Long homilies are ‘a disaster,’ keep it under 10 minutes, pope says

January 23, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments

Lengthy, abstract homilies are “a disaster,” so preaching should be limited to 10 minutes, Pope Francis said.

To improve liturgy, involve the people, pope says

January 20, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments

Religious celebrations must foster the “fruitful participation of the people of God” and not just of the clergy, Pope Francis said.

Pope expresses concern over tensions on the Baltic Sea

January 19, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News

The Baltic Sea, shared by Russia and northern European countries, is a “source of life threatened by human action,” Pope Francis said.