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Faith

Pope Francis.

Pope Francis makes surprise visit to nun recovering from surgery

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VATICAN CITY -- An elderly religious sister who worked for many years at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the papal residence, was at her congregation's house recovering from surgery when she received an unexpected visit from Pope Francis.

Workers survey bones taken from an ossuary at the Teutonic cemetery in this image released by the Vatican July 27, 2019. The bones were inspected in the hope of finding the missing remains of a German princess and duchess and possibly the remains of Emanuela Orlandi, who disappeared in 1983. The Vatican announced that none of the bones postdate the 1800s.

Missing woman's remains not found among bones

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VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican press office said that the results of a morphological analysis of bones and bone fragments found at an ossuary in a Vatican cemetery concluded that none belonged to Emanuela Orlandi, a young Italian woman who has been missing for more than 30 years.

Pope Francis talks with Paolo Ruffini, right, head of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, and Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the same dicastery, aboard his flight from Rome to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 3, 2019. Looking on is Matteo Bruni of the Vatican Press Office who was recently appointed as director of that office. The Vatican has been working to streamline and coordinate its varied communications entities.

Synergy, cooperation at heart of Vatican media reform

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VATICAN CITY -- With the recent appointments of Matteo Bruni as the new director of the Holy See Press Office and Cristiane Murray as vice director, the Vatican is taking another step forward in its continuing efforts to reform its communication structures.

Cristiane Murray, a Brazilian journalist who has worked with Vatican Radio-Vatican News, was tapped by Pope Francis to serve as vice director of the Vatican Press Office. Murray is pictured talking with the pope in an undated photo.

Pope Francis appoints Brazilian as vice director for Vatican press office

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VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis appointed Cristiane Murray, a Brazilian journalist with Vatican Radio-Vatican News, to serve as vice director of the Vatican press office.

Workers inspect an ossuary at the Teutonic Cemetery at the Vatican July 20, 2019. The ossuary was inspected in the hope of finding the missing remains of a German princess and duchess and possibly the remains of Emanuela Orlandi, who disappeared in 1983. Thousands of bones were found in the ossuary, according to a representative of the Orlandi family who was present for the search.

Forensic experts to study 'thousands of bones' found in Vatican ossuaries

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VATICAN CITY -- During a search for the remains of a young Italian woman missing for more than 30 years, workers discovered an enormous number of bones inside two ossuaries in a building next to a Vatican cemetery.

People gather at the site of a car bomb blast outside the Syriac Orthodox Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Qamishli, Syria, July 11, 2019. At least 11 people were injured in the blast during evening service. It was unclear who was responsible for the attack.

Pope Francis writes Assad: urges him to protect civilians, seek peace

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VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to put an end to his country's eight-year-long conflict and seek reconciliation for the good of the nation and its vulnerable people.

Bishop Michael J. Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston, W.Va., is seen in this 2012 file photo. On July 19 the Vatican announced disciplinary measures for the bishop, who retired in 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct and financial improprieties.

Pope Francis issues sanctions against former West Virginia bishop

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WASHINGTON -- The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston announced July 19 sanctions from the Vatican -- including taking away the faculties of celebrating Mass -- against a former West Virginia bishop who stepped down last year under a cloud of allegations of sexual and financial misconduct.

Matteo Bruni of the Vatican Press Office, center, listens as journalists honor him with a special song at the airport during Pope Francis' visit in Sofia, Bulgaria, May 7, 2019. Bruni, who has helped organize and coordinate media presence on papal trips since 2013, has been appointed the new director of the Vatican Press Office.

Pope Francis appoints new Vatican press office director

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VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis appointed Matteo Bruni to serve as director of the Vatican press office, replacing Alessandro Gisotti, who had been serving as interim director since Dec. 31.

Jesuit Brother Bob Macke and Jesuit Father Gabriele Gionti, an astronomer, prepare to give journalists a tour of the Vatican Observatory at the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Sept. 28, 2018. Brother Macke said that by studying the universe, "we can better appreciate the God who created it."

Being curator of meteorites allows Jesuit to 'find God' in all things

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HOUSTON -- At the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo near Rome, Jesuit Brother Robert Macke finds his work as the curator of meteorites for the Vatican Observatory -- formally founded in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII -- allows him to, as the Jesuit saying goes, "find God in all things."

A woman holds water bottles next to a trash can under the St. Peter's Square colonnade at the Vatican July 16, 2019. A Vatican official said the Vatican is collecting 22 pounds of plastic a day from trash containers under the colonnade.

Vatican City State set to end sale of single-use plastics

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VATICAN CITY -- After current supplies run out, Vatican City State will no longer be selling any single-use plastic items on its tiny territory.

A worker descends into the tomb of Princess Sophie von Hohenlohe, who died in 1836, during a forensic investigation in the Teutonic Cemetery at the Vatican July 11, 2019. Two tombs were opened based on a tip that the remains of Emanuela Orlandi, who disappeared in 1983, could be buried there.

Missing bones found in Vatican investigation

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VATICAN CITY (CNA) -- The Vatican has found two ossuaries believed to maybe belong to the German noblewomen whose tombs were found empty earlier this week.

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