As fears of a widening war in the Middle East grew again in early August, Pope Francis pleaded with the region’s leaders to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue.

During a week of extreme high temperature warnings, altar servers on a pilgrimage to Rome found many ways to cool off and strengthen their faith by visiting the city’s underground catacombs, cavernous basilicas and a temporary pilgrimage center near St. Peter’s Square.

While bishops around the world are asked to designate their cathedrals or other significant churches as special places of pilgrimage and prayer for the Holy Year 2025, the Vatican is not asking them to dedicate and open a “Holy Door” at those churches.

Pope Francis visited an amusement park an hour outside of Rome to greet workers, their families and the two nuns providing pastoral care there.

There have been “various signs” in modern times that have prompted a new awareness of the Gospel and how great God’s love for humanity is, a theologian and consultor for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said.

Thanks to Jesus’ promise to be with his disciples always, the faithful can be fully present for others, especially those in need, Pope Francis told thousands of altar servers from around the world.

Pope Francis has called on political leaders to be at the service of the poor, the unemployed and the common good.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican investment office made 45.9 million euros (about $49.6 million) in profit in 2023, contributing 37.9 million euros (about $41 million) to the Vatican’s operating budget and 7.9 million euros (about $8.5 million) to increasing its assets, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See said in its annual […]

Pope Francis has designated the provincial city of Santiago del Estero as Argentina’s primatial see in a move described by Catholic leaders as a historic “reparation” and a reflection of his preference for putting the peripheries at the center of church attention. The Archdiocese of Buenos Aires — the national capital, with roughly one-third of […]

The Vatican announced July 29 that Pope Francis has decided Msgr. John Kennedy, 56, the secretary of the dicastery’s disciplinary section, will be an archbishop and have the “titular see” of Ossero, an ancient diocese in Croatia that ceased functioning in the 19th century.