Pope Francis was “a pope among the people, with an open heart toward everyone,” said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, as he presided over the funeral of the pope, who died April 21 at the age of 88.
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Rome’s needy bid farewell to pope who lifted them up from misery
The poor, Cardinal Krajewski confirmed, will also be present on the footsteps of the Basilica of St. Mary Major where Francis will be buried April 26 following the funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Washington Roundup: Trump, Biden to attend papal funeral; ‘Anti-Christian bias’ task force convened
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, a bipartisan congressional delegation, and former President Joe Biden are among the U.S. officials traveling to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral.
Convicted Cardinal Becciu’s presence in conclave is open question
Whether Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who relinquished the rights associated with being a cardinal after he was forced to resign in 2020, will be able to enter the conclave to elect a new pope is an ongoing question.
Top contenders for papacy after Pope Francis at a glance
The pre-conclave gatherings give an opportunity for cardinals to emerge as possible papal candidates as the cardinals discuss the issues facing the church and qualities desired in the next pope. The following figures are potential contenders to become the 267th successor of St. Peter.
Father Zollner: Listening to victims a trademark of Pope Francis’ pontificate
One of the world’s top experts on clerical sexual abuse, Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, said Pope Francis will be remembered as a pontiff who made listening to victims of abuse one of the trademarks of his pontificate — a habit that made him a model for other bishops and leaders in the church.
A way with words: Pope Francis wove vivid metaphors
Teaching high school literature before and after becoming a priest, Pope Francis possessed an extensive background in the themes and devices in literature and cinema.
Synods and synodality: Pope Francis’ method, vision for church
While Pope Francis often bucked formality and sidestepped some offices of the Roman Curia, one institution he believed in deeply was the Synod of Bishops and — even more — the notion of “synodality.”
He gave a face to the faceless: Francis is remembered as the pope of the poor
In the last years of his papacy, the world saw the more serious, concerned and suffering face of Pope Francis. But with one group he was always beaming, always smiling and always cheerful: the poor.
State Department urged to prioritize human rights, humanitarian aid in reorganization
Debates over a plan to reorganize the State Department should seek to improve American “efforts in the world at diplomacy and global citizenship,” and should prioritize human rights and humanitarian efforts, a leading foreign policy expert told OSV News.
Poor to welcome pope’s casket to St. Mary Major where simple tomb is ready
Given the late Pope Francis’ care and concern for the poor, a representative group of them has been formally invited to welcome his casket to Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major for burial.
Cardinals mourn Pope Francis as Vatican meetings begin ahead of conclave
As they entered the Vatican to participate in a series of meetings leading up to the election of Pope Francis’ successor, several cardinals spoke to the media, emphasizing that they are still mourning the Argentine pontiff — not yet choosing his successor.