exclamation

Important notice: To continue serving our valued readers during the postal disruption, complete unrestricted access to the digital edition is available at no extra cost. This will ensure uninterrupted digital access to your copies. Click here to view the digital edition, or learn more.

Subscribe to this RSS feed
While exchanging gifts for Christmas is a beautiful tradition, Pope Francis said, do not forget the one and only real gift people will ever receive is God's gift to humanity – his son, Jesus Christ.

Real gift this Christmas? God giving world his son, Jesus, Pope says to Vatican employees

VATICAN CITY – While exchanging gifts for Christmas is a beautiful tradition, Pope Francis said, do not forget the one and only real gift people will ever receive is God's gift to humanity – his son, Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis speaks during an audience to exchange Christmas greetings with members of the Roman Curia in Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Dec. 22.

Pope Francis' speech to the Roman Curia

Pope Francis met with members of the Roman Curia to exchange Christmas greetings Dec. 22. At the gathering, the Pope also outlined guiding principles for reform of the Roman Curia. Below is Vatican Radio's full English translation of his speech:

Claretian Brother Ferran Saperas Aluja, pictured, is one of more than 100 martyrs from the Spanish civil war that the Pope recognized.

Pope advances sainthood causes of martyrs during Spanish civil war

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis furthered the sainthood causes of seven men and women as well as recognized more than 100 martyrs who were killed during the Spanish civil war.

The shoes of Pope Francis are seen as he conducts a general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on March 16, 2013.

Frugal Pope Francis spotted shoes shopping in Rome

ROME – As cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires, he took the subway. Then as Pope, he went out to buy his own eyeglasses. And now he picked up a pair of shoes.

Pope Francis touches a figurine of the infant Jesus at the start of Mass marking the feast of the Epiphany in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Jan. 6, 2015.

At Christmas, Jesus offers a new kind of hope, Pope Francis says

VATICAN CITY – While hope can often be viewed as the desire for things out of our reach, Pope Francis has said that the birth of Jesus offers us a new kind hope – one which, thanks to the Incarnation, is attainable and leads to a different goal.

Pope Francis greets UN peacekeepers from Argentina during his general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Dec. 14. In his World Day of Peace message, the Pope calls for a new political order based on peace and non-violence.

Pope’s world peace day message is built on hope

The annual World Day of Peace message is an occasion that can’t help but highlight the idealism expected from popes.

On Christmas Day almost half the Catholics in the country will cram themselves into a pew, a new survey finds.

Mass attendance in Canada more than doubles on Christmas Day, survey finds

Going to Church is a big part of a Catholic Christmas — even if it’s not a big part of the rest of the year for the majority of Canadian Catholics.

Rescue workers inspect the scene where a truck crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin Dec. 19. The terrorist attack killed at least a dozen people and injured nearly 50 as it smashed through tables and wooden stands.

Pope Francis pleads for end to 'homicidal madness' of terrorism

VATICAN CITY – What are being called two major acts of terrorism in just the past 24 hours have prompted Pope Francis to again beg for an even stronger commitment to putting such bloody attacks, which have marred many parts of the world over the past 18 months, to an end.

Barbara Jatta has been appointed by Pope Francis as the new director of the Vatican Museums. Jatta, an Italian art historian and graphic arts expert, will be the first woman in the post. She is pictured in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 28.

Pope Francis names first woman to head Vatican Museums

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has chosen, for the first time, a woman to head the Vatican Museums.

Pope Francis eats breakfast with a group of homeless for his 80th birthday, Dec. 17.

Pope marks 80th birthday with charitable giving to Rome's poor

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis kicked off his 80th birthday by having breakfast with a group of homeless from around St. Peter’s and inviting them to Mass – but his giving didn’t stop there.

The Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was among tens of thousands of people who sent birthday greetings to Pope Francis for his eightieth birthday Dec. 17.

Benedict XVI sends birthday wishes to Pope Francis, among tens of thousands from around the world

VATICAN CITY – The Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI sent birthday greetings to Pope Francis on Saturday, Francis’ eightieth birthday.

Page 131 of 255