As ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ marks 1 year, divisions over Vatican document persist December 28, 2024By Maria Wiering OSV News Filed Under: Marriage & Family Life, News, Vatican, World News A year after “Fiducia Supplicans” whipped up a firestorm of controversy in the days before Christmas, the Vatican declaration remains a point of division in the U.S. church and worldwide. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether it has freshly prompted many Catholics in “irregular situations” to seek the kind of blessings it permits.
Pope Francis’ 2024: Turning 88, praying for peace, presiding over synod December 28, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis, who celebrated his 88th birthday Dec. 17, mostly uses a wheelchair instead of walking and presides over rather than concelebrates most public liturgies. Still, he had a 2024 full of important engagements, the longest trip of his papacy and major preparations for the Holy Year 2025, which he is set to open Dec. 24.
Don’t lose hope, pope says as he opens Holy Door at Rome prison December 27, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News Wearing red vestments for the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Pope Francis knocked on the door of the church in Rome’s Rebibbia prison complex and walked over its threshold.
God wants all people to be saved; he forgives all who repent, pope says December 27, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News God wants to save each and every person, and Christians are called to give witness to that fact by praying even for people who have harmed them, Pope Francis said.
Pope urges war-torn world to walk through door of peace on Christmas December 25, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News As millions of pilgrims prepare to cross through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis called on individuals, nations and the global community to take a transformative step toward peace and reconciliation by walking through the “door of salvation” that is Jesus Christ.
Pope at Christmas: Jesus’ birth brings hope for world of justice, peace December 25, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News Celebrating Christmas Mass after opening the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis said the birth of Jesus fills Christians with hope and the courage to work for peace and justice.
Pope opens Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, launching ‘Jubilee of Hope’ December 24, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News In the quiet of Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, launching what he called a “Jubilee of Hope.”
Caritas, Jubilee USA present Holy Year debt-relief project December 23, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News A key part of a jubilee in the Bible was releasing prisoners, and Catholics today can join a global campaign to press for the release of thousands of people imprisoned in poverty because of their nations’ foreign debt, said an official of Caritas Internationalis.
Pope condemns ‘hypocrisy’ of exalting peace while waging war December 23, 2024By Justin McLellan OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Pope Francis sharply criticized the global “hypocrisy” of nations advocating for peace while profiting from war, calling for renewed efforts toward dialogue and reconciliation.
Pope, suffering a cold, focuses on mothers and children before Christmas December 23, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer from inside the chapel of his residence because of a cold, Pope Francis nevertheless blessed the baby Jesus figurines children and adults will put in their Nativity scenes — and he brought one of his own as well.
Bishop J. Gregory Kelly named to Texas diocese after Bishop Strickland’s removal December 23, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop J. Gregory Kelly of Dallas as bishop of Tyler, Texas.
Trump names CatholicVote’s Brian Burch as next Holy See ambassador December 23, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: 2024 Election, News, Vatican, World News President-elect Donald Trump on Dec. 20 announced his intention to appoint Brian Burch, currently the president of CatholicVote, as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.
