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Dominican Sister Patricia Dual, holding a grandchild, poses with her family members in 2011 after celebrating her final profession of vows. Sister Patricia is part of a relatively small but significant segment of women entering religious life after having raised children. Like Sister Dual, some also have grandchildren.

Sisters who also are mothers bring new perspectives to religious life

GLENMOORE, Pa. – The way Sister Rita Cameron sees it, her grandchildren didn't lose a grandmother when she became a sister. They gained 106 great-aunts.

St. Mary Magdalene is shown meditating on the crucifix in this painted wooden sculpture that is part of The Sacred Made Real exhibit in 2010 at the National Galley of Art in Washington. Pope Francis is elevating her memorial day to a feast day

Pope elevates memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to feast day

VATICAN CITY – Recognizing St. Mary Magdalene's role as the first to witness Christ's resurrection and as a "true and authentic evangelizer," Pope Francis raised the July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast on the Church's liturgical calendar, the Vatican announced. 

It’s been a year since the launch of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical. The encyclical is credited with expanding the conversation on the enviromental degradation we have done to our planet.

One year later 'Laudato Si' gets to the heart of the matter

Revolution was once a bad word — even The Beatles were against it. But ever since the late Steve Jobs got hold of it and applied it to every new gadget to come off the Apple assembly line, the word has lost its threat and most of its meaning.

The local offices building of PricewaterhouseCoopers is seen in Luxembourg. On June 10, PwC signs a new contract with the Vatican as a consultant. This comes two months after after it's auditing process was suspended due to internal reasons at the Vatican.

Vatican signs new contract with external financial auditor

VATICAN CITY – After suspending an external audit led by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Vatican has signed a new contract with the auditing firm asking only that it provide assistance and consulting services.

A file photo of Pope Francis leaves his general audience in St. Peter's Square. The Pope says euthanasia is not an act of compassion.

Pope calls euthanasia triumph of selfishness, not act of compassion

VATICAN CITY – Growing acceptance of euthanasia does not indicate increased compassion, but highlights the rise of a selfish "throwaway culture" that casts aside the sick, the dying and those who do not satisfy the perceived requirements of a healthy life, Pope Francis said. 

Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican June 8. Francis told congregants that "take-it-or-leave-it" style of evangelism is not the way to go.

Pope Francis: A ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ faith is heretical

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has called on Catholics to adopt a “healthy realism” in their approach to their faith, and he decried rigid idealists as heretics.

A bottle of red wine being poured. Pope Francis says that wine expresses the abundance of a wedding and the joy of the celebration.

A wedding without wine is ‘shameful!’ says Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has upended many traditions during his extraordinary pontificate, to the point that some have wondered whether he is really Catholic.

Fr. Roland Bonenfant, director of the Frédéric Jansoone Centre in Trois Rivieres, Que., stands in front of a painting of the Franciscan who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

Franciscans rallying to have Good Fr. Frédéric declared saint

MONTREAL – As the 100th anniversary approaches of the death of “Good Fr. Frédéric,” Franciscans are rallying to have Pope Francis finally declare Frederic Janssoone a saint.

The Palace of the Governorate of Vatican City State, 2007.

Pope, Council of Cardinals discuss decentralization of Vatican offices

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals studied ways in which the responsibilities of Vatican offices can be simplified and harmonized.

A young man is seen reading a Bible in 2010. A new State of the Bible Survey by the American Bible Society found that 77 percent of Catholics want to read the Bible more often.

Survey finds growing interest among Catholics in reading the Bible

WASHINGTON – When Deacon Joseph Jensen entered Our Lady of Good Counsel Passionist Seminary in Warrenton, Missouri, in the late 1950s, he realized he was the only student in his class who had read the Bible.

A woman waves a flag prior to the canonization Mass for two new saints celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican June 5. Those canonized were St. Stanislaus Papczynski of Poland, founder of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, and St. Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad of Sweden, who refounded the Bridgettine order that had died out in Sweden after the Protestant Reformation.

Jesus restores life through compassion, not magic, pope says

VATICAN CITY – Even in the midst of suffering and death, Christians can become witnesses of the Resurrection and the power of God's compassion, Pope Francis said as he proclaimed two new saints. 

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