Vatican says no blessing gay unions, no negative judgment on gay people March 15, 2021By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Vatican, World News While homosexual men and women must be respected, any form of blessing a same-sex union is “illicit,” said the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Vatican ends practice of priests celebrating Mass alone in St. Peter’s March 15, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Vatican is putting an end to the practice of priests going into St. Peter’s Basilica early every morning to celebrate their own Mass at a side altar with just an altar server.
Jesus wasn’t just good, he is God, papal preacher says March 12, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Vatican, World News Plenty of non-Christians believe that Jesus was a real person and that what he taught can make the world a better place, but what makes a person a Christian is believing that Jesus is God, said the preacher of the papal household.
Vatican says general absolution still permissible during pandemic March 11, 2021By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Divine Worship, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Offering general absolution to the faithful without having them personally confess their sins first may still be done in places seeing serious or increasing levels of coronavirus infections, a Vatican official said.
Pope names woman Scripture scholar as secretary of biblical commission March 11, 2021By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Bible, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis has named Sister Nuria Calduch-Benages, an Old Testament scholar and professor at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, to be secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
Returning from Iraq, pope talks about ‘risks’ taken on trip March 8, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, Video, World News The Catholic Church’s commitment to dialogue with other churches and with other religions flows from the Gospel, but Pope Francis said he knows some Catholics disagree.
Living the beatitudes can change the world, pope says in Iraq March 6, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, World News Pope Francis told Iraqi Christians that when they suffer discrimination, persecution or war, the Eight Beatitudes are addressed to them.
Hostility, violence are ‘betrayals’ of religion, pope says in Iraq March 6, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, Video, World News Traveling to the birthplace of Abraham, Pope Francis urged believers to prove their faith in the one God and father of all by accepting one another as brothers and sisters.
Pope, Iraqi Shiite leader affirm importance of dialogue, respect March 6, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, World News In a low-key meeting followed closely in Iraq and beyond, Pope Francis and Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the influential leader of Shiite Muslims in Iraq, spent 45 minutes speaking privately.
Pope: Honor martyrs by remaining faithful, working for a better Iraq March 5, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, World News Visiting a Baghdad cathedral “hallowed by the blood of our brothers and sisters” murdered in a terrorist attack that shook the world, Pope Francis said their sacrifice must motivate faith and a commitment to working for the common good.
Pope arrives in Iraq, promoting peace, tolerance, equality March 5, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, World News To consolidate peace and ensure progress, the government and people of Iraq must never treat anyone as a second-class citizen and must work each day to promote harmony, Pope Francis said.
‘Finally,’ pope says he will be able to make pilgrimage to Iraq March 4, 2021By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Pope Francis in Iraq, Vatican, World News Pope Francis told the people of Iraq he was going to their country as a “penitential pilgrim,” asking God’s forgiveness for years of war, persecution and destruction, and as a “pilgrim of peace,” hoping to remind people that they are all brothers and sisters no matter their ethnic or religious identity.