Women religious are meant to be serving the poor, marginalized or vulnerable in society, not be working as servants to members of the church, Pope Francis said.
Vocations
Question Corner: What is a consecrated virgin?
Consecrated virginity is a unique vocation for women in that it is centered in the local diocesan church rather than a particular group or religious community.
Sister Clare Crockett, who lived ‘exceptional, holy life,’ begins road to sainthood as cause opens
Her wide smile and eyes beaming with joy are a signature of Sister Clare Crockett, a 33-year-old Northern Irish nun, who tragically died in the 2016 Ecuador earthquake.
Let hope lead your lives, pope tells seminarians
During the Holy Year 2025, which is centered on proclaiming a message of hope, Pope Francis told future priests to let hope be the guiding principle of their lives.
Priesthood is a gift meant to be given for others, pope says
A priestly vocation is not merely a path toward salvation for the one who is called but should be a continuous self-gift that aligns each priest’s life with God’s plans for them, Pope Francis said.
Italian bishops say don’t automatically exclude gay men from seminary
The Italian bishops’ new program of priestly formation, approved by the Vatican, repeats a prohibition against admitting to the seminary men with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies,” but also says that being gay does not automatically exclude a candidate.
At age 116, religious sister from Brazil is the oldest person on the planet
Teresian Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas from Brazil has become the world’s oldest person, reaching 116 years and 210 days.
Ahead of U.S. Franciscans’ synod, friars say ‘communal discernment’ long-held tradition for order
While “synodality” might be a new concept to Catholics surprised by the Vatican’s request that dioceses worldwide engage in community discernment from 2021-2024, the U.S. friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe — humble as they are — would still like to gently remind us it’s something Franciscans like themselves have been doing for centuries.
Pope names Consolata Missionary as the first woman dicastery prefect
Pope Francis has appointed Consolata Missionary Sister Simona Brambilla to be the first woman to lead a Vatican dicastery, naming her prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life.
St. Mary’s Seminary’s director of human formation focuses on shaping well-rounded future priests
St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park is giving an added boost to the human formation of future priests with the establishment of its first-ever director of human formation.
Cardinal O’Malley devotes decades to making ‘present the merciful face of God’
Cardinal O’Malley, who was ordained a priest in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on Aug. 29, 1970, at the age of 26, has been a key figure at the highest levels of church governance in helping oversee reforms in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.
Meet the religious sister battling the mental health crisis in Nigeria
Nigeria faces a mental health crisis exacerbated by economic hardship and insecurity, with a shortage of psychiatrists serving its population of over 220 million. With only about 200 psychiatrists in the country, mental health issues remain largely stigmatized, leading to a reluctance to seek professional help.