VATICAN – Pope Francis called on Christians to unite in prayer for the victims of two mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, that left 50 people dead and dozens wounded in one of the worst mass shootings in the country's history.
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Faith
VATICAN – As the process to implement a peace accord in South Sudan continues, Pope Francis met March 16 with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and expressed the hope that, finally, he would be able to visit the country.
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International
Historian Robert Ventresca is already planning visits to Rome sometime after March 2, 2020, where he will immerse himself in hundreds of thousands of letters, cables and speeches covering the papacy of Pius XII from 1939 to 1958.
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International
March 14, 2019
Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels dies at 85
VATICAN – Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels, retired archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, died March 14 at the age of 85.
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International
VATICAN – On the sixth anniversary of Pope Francis’ election Wednesday, the Vatican's chief spokesman said Francis will continue to lead the Church as a synodal “field hospital” in the year ahead.
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Faith
March 14, 2019
Argentine bishops will ask Pope Francis to visit homeland
VATICAN – In a letter commemorating the sixth anniversary of Pope Francis' election, the bishops of Argentina said they will ask the Pope to visit his homeland.
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International
VATICAN – Catholics cannot place blame for the sexual abuse crisis on "those who came before us" in an attempt "to present ourselves as 'pure,'" said the editorial director of the Vatican media outlets.
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International
VATICAN – In a world of different religions, cultures and languages, art has the capacity to bring people together and inspire them to take action in addressing critical challenges, said a Vatican official.
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Arts News
March 11, 2019
Benedictine abbot leads Pope, Roman Curia in Lenten retreat
VATICAN – When Pope Francis asked 50-year-old Benedictine Abbot Bernardo Gianni to lead his Lenten retreat, the abbot said he told the Pope he felt "very inadequate."
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Faith
VATICAN – When facing temptation, Christians should follow Jesus' example by not engaging in fruitless talk with the father of lies, Pope Francis said.
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Faith
VATICAN – Answering the Lord's call demands the courage to take a risk, but it is an invitation to become part of an important mission, Pope Francis said.
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Faith
VATICAN – Lent is a time to ask for God's grace to chip away at hypocrisy, which is seen in the natural human attempt to appear "worthier than we are," Pope Francis said.
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Reflections
VATICAN – Engaging in any form of anti-Semitism is a direct contradiction with the Christian faith, Pope Francis said.
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International
March 7, 2019
God is purifying the church with 'unbearable' pain of abuse scandal, Pope Francis says
ROME – The clerical abuse scandal has caused everyone in the Catholic Church "pain and unbearable suffering," Pope Francis said, but it also is a call to repentance and the renewal of the church.
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Faith
ROME – Marked with ashes, Christians set off on a Lenten journey where they strive to leave behind everything that will turn to dust and instead focus on drawing closer to God and God's promise of eternal life, Pope Francis said.
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Faith