Ten days after saying he would name two women to the group that helps him choose bishops, Pope Francis appointed three women to the office.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) July 17 (Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42)

Abraham and Sarah had all but given up. God had promised Abraham a son and heir and that he would become a father of a great nation. But the time on the biological clock had run out, for they were both far advanced in years, and no son by Sarah had been born. And this is often the moment God chooses to act — when all human efforts have been exhausted.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) July 10 (Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Psalm 69; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37)        

Where can we find God? Even the greatest mystics and saints experienced times in which they felt that God was absent. They struggled with doubts and fears, as do most people.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) July 3 (Isaiah 66:10-14; Psalm 66; Galatians 6: 14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

There is nothing as powerful as knowing that one is unconditionally loved. It gives hope, strength, courage and healing. With that knowledge of being loved we can bear the burdens that come our way and many things become possible. The spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola begin with this as the “first principle and foundation” — we are created out of love and for love. That is our reason for existing — to love and be loved.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) June 26 (1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-62)

Elijah was looking for a worthy disciple and successor and he had a novel recruiting method.

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Year C) June 19 (Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11b-17)

The early Church Fathers taught that Christ had always been preparing the way for the redemption that would come through the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. This is evident in the story from the very beginning of Israel’s history — the wandering of Abraham, still named Abram, and his meeting with the mysterious king of Salem, a man named Melchizedek.

Taking the stand at a Vatican trial, London-based Italian financier Raffaele Mincione said the Vatican Secretariat of State's decision to back out of its investment in a London property is to blame for its financial losses.

Pope Francis expressed his solidarity and closeness with Catholics in Nigeria after gunmen stormed a church and reportedly killed at least 50 people during a Pentecost Mass.

Most Holy Trinity (Year C) June 12 (Proverbs 8:22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15) 

God is described in countless ways in the Scriptures, confirming that God cannot be contained by any one image or symbol. The ancient sources do not use the theological precision that modern people are used to and can at times appear to be inconsistent or contradictory. This can be confusing to some. The God-language of Scripture inspires the sacred imagination of the reader or hearer, revealing the depths and activities of the divine.

The Vatican updated its COVID-19 protocols, allowing most employees and visitors to enter Vatican City State without a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery.