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Pope Francis greets deacons after celebrating a Mass for the Jubilee of Deacons in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 29. The Mass was a celebration of the Holy Year of Mercy.

Ignore the church schedule and serve the people, pope tells deacons

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VATICAN CITY – Deacons are called to be servants who set aside their own self-serving plans and are generous with their lives, Pope Francis said.

Woodworker Michael Schmiedicke works in his Strong Oaks Woodshop April 29 in Front Royal, Va. Schmiedicke, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist Church in Front Royal, builds caskets out of reclaimed lumber from the Shenandoah Valley.

Woodworker creates ministry building caskets out of reclaimed lumber

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FRONT ROYAL, Va. – Above the hum of the table saw, one story was told, then another.

People visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in 2012 in the village of Harissa near Beirut. Muslims and Christians alike come to the shrine.

In Lebanon, Muslims and Christians visit Marian shrine at Harissa

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HARISSA, Lebanon – High on a summit overlooking the Mediterranean, Our Lady of Lebanon stands majestically with her arms outstretched, welcoming her children.

Blessed Stanislaus Papczynski of Poland, founder of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, is depicted in an undated painting. The founder of the first Polish male religious order, who promoted social justice and prayers for the dying, is to be proclaimed a saint June 5 in Rome.

New Polish saint calls people to 'contemplate God's mercy,' bishops say

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WARSAW, Poland – The founder of the first Polish male religious order, who will be canonized in Rome June 5, calls people "to contemplate God's mercy and proclaim that God's heart is open to all," said Poland's bishops.

Permanent deacons and their wives attend a conference at the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome May 27. Attendees were participating in the Jubilee of Deacons, a celebration of the Holy Year of Mercy.

Deacons gather in Rome, share reflections on ministry, challenges

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ROME – Thousands of permanent deacons and their wives began their Year of Mercy celebration by cutting straight to the heart of what it means to be a deacon, how the ministry impacts their families and the challenge of explaining their vocation to others, including bishops and priests.

Pope Francis uses incense as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Corpus Christi outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome May 26.

In Eucharist, find strength to share bread, faith with others, pope says

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ROME – A Corpus Christi procession should honor Christ's gift of himself in the Eucharist, but also should be a pledge to share bread and faith with the people of the cities and towns where the processions take place, Pope Francis said.

Prayer is not a magic wand, it strengthens faith in tough times, said Pope Francis during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 25.

Prayer is no magic wand; it strengthens faith in tough times, pope says

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VATICAN CITY – Prayer is not a magic wand that fulfills your desires, but it is what helps you keep the faith when you don't understand God's will, Pope Francis said.

Filipino inmates share a cell at a jail facility in Manila, Philippines, in this April 17, 2006, file photo. Combating radicalization in prisons will be addressed at a May 30-June 1 gathering in Strasbourg, France.

Vine and branches: Chaplains work to uproot radicalization in prisons

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VATICAN CITY – With visits to detention facilities and washing the feet of the detainees, Pope Francis has placed renewed emphasis on the work of mercy of visiting prisoners. 

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh prays with players after they defeated the Cleveland Browns 20-10 in 2014 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Harbaugh says he has relied on his Catholic faith to guide him and his players as they have faced various challenges during the past year.

Catholic values drive Baltimore Ravens’ coach on and off the field

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BALTIMORE – The accomplishment of winning the Super Bowl in 2013 as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens gave John Harbaugh a crowning achievement in football, but he relied on his Catholic faith to guide him and his players through a series of potentially spirit-crushing events during the past year.

Pope Francis greets the crowd during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 11.

Pope gets media's attention as he rebrands church, papacy, says priest

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BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Pope Francis has rebranded the Catholic Church and the papacy, and the media have taken notice.

A painting of Martin Luther (1532) by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Next year marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Cardinal Kasper wrote in his new book that Catholic-Lutheran relations have been inching towards unity

Focus on mercy is Catholic-Lutheran common ground, says Kasper

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VATICAN CITY – The ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017 can be a time to celebrate the fact that Christians are no longer "on the path of separation, but that of unity," said Cardinal Walter Kasper, former president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

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