Pope, cardinals continue discussion of role of women in the church February 5, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News With the help of a woman Anglican bishop, a Salesian sister and a consecrated virgin, Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals devoted the first morning of their February meeting “to deepening their reflection, begun last December, on the role of women in the church,” the Vatican press office said.
Pope hopes Lunar New Year celebrations will foster friendship, peace February 5, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News – Pope Francis expressed his hopes that Lunar New Year celebrations would offer opportunities for people to experience warm friendships and to show care.
Pope, in letter to Jews in Israel, condemns antisemitism as a sin February 5, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News In a letter addressed to “my Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel,” Pope Francis expressed his heartbreak at the violence unleashed by the Hamas attack on Israel in October and he repeated the Catholic Church’s condemnation of all forms of antisemitism and anti-Judaism.
Changing words in sacraments can make them invalid, dicastery warns February 5, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments When a priest or other minister changes the words, gestures or material prescribed for the celebration of the sacraments, he can “rob” the faithful of what they deserve and make the sacrament invalid, the dicastery said in a note published Feb. 3.
Waiting, not worldliness, leads to the Lord, pope tells religious February 2, 2024By Justin McLellan OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, Vocations, World News After candlelight filled a darkened St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis asked consecrated men and women not to let their spirits “doze off” while waiting to encounter the Lord but to keep their hearts awake in anticipation “like an eternal flame.”
Catholic, Anglican bishops vow to support one another, work together February 2, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News As Catholics and Anglicans pray and work for the day when they can celebrate the Eucharist together, they are called to support one another in situations of suffering, apologize together for times when they have sinned and work together to share the good news of God’s love, said bishops from both communities.
Vatican opens registration for May celebration of World Children’s Day February 2, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Although the Vatican knows most of the children who will come to Rome May 25-26 for the first World Children’s Day will be Italians, Pope Francis hopes local celebrations also will take place so that the whole Catholic Church can experience their joy and will show them the beauty of gathering with other believers, a cardinal said.
God calls everyone to the happiness of his kingdom, pope says February 2, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Missions, News, Vatican, World News Mission is tirelessly going out to all men and women to invite them with respect, joy and kindness, to encounter God and enter into communion with him, Pope Francis wrote in his message for World Mission Sunday.
Pope treated to ceremony at Vatican to usher in the Chinese New Year February 2, 2024By Carol Glatz OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis “dotted the eyes” of performers dressed as a dragon and lion in a traditional ceremony to symbolically awaken them and welcome in the Chinese New Year.
Pope to Notre Dame: Religion ‘essential’ in forming minds and hearts February 1, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Colleges, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Catholic universities are called to contribute to the growth of the intellectual tradition of the church as well as the hearts of their students, forming them into agents of good, Pope Francis told the University of Notre Dame’s board of trustees.
Pope: Christians must rekindle hope in fighting today’s forms of slavery February 1, 2024By Carol Glatz OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Vatican, World News Lent is a time to free oneself from slavery and take action to free others suffering from the multiple forms of slavery that afflict the world, Pope Francis said.
Pope: For the terminally ill, incurable does not mean ‘un-care-able’ February 1, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, News, Vatican, World News People who are terminally ill and their families should always receive the care and assistance they need, Pope Francis said.