FAITH/STORIES
VATICAN CITY - A Vatican judge has ordered five people, including a Spanish monsignor and two journalists, to stand trial in connection with the leaking and publication of documents about Vatican finances.
VATICAN CITY - The educational alliance among families, schools and states is broken, causing a serious situation that leads to selecting to educate only "supermen" chosen solely based on intelligence or wealth, Pope Francis said.
Widows are image of Church seeking to stay faithful
The Church remains faithful if she keeps her eyes fixed on Jesus, but she becomes lukewarm and mediocre if she seeks comfort in worldly things. That was Pope Francis’ message on Monday as he reflected on the Gospel reading at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta…
Pope condemns Mali attacks, calls for acts of kindness in broken world
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Show kindness, understanding and mercy in today's broken and wounded world, Pope Francis said.
'Dei Verbum' at 50: Where have all the Bibles gone?
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Fifty years ago, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) urged the faithful to nourish their faith by reading the Bible, putting an end to centuries of seeing direct access to the Scriptures as something reserved to the clergy.
Pope meets Ukrainian president, shares commitment for peace
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Although the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists continues, Pope Francis and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko still share hope that a political solution can be found, the Vatican said.
Proclaim Gospel, worry less about structures, Pope tells German bishops
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - The Catholic Church in Germany has strong institutions that contribute much to society and are extremely generous internationally, but Christianity must be more about proclaiming faith and less about maintaining impressive institutions, Pope Francis told the country's bishops.
The Church must not worship “holy bribery”
Pope Francis said that the Church must not be obsessed by money or power, nor worship “holy bribes”. Instead her strength and joy should come from the words of Christ. He was speaking at the morning mass at Casa Santa Marta on Friday.
Want to see the Pope? Get in line at the security checkpoint
By Rosie Scammell, Religion News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Even nuns in habits were subjected to a security checkpoint Nov. 18 during Pope Francis’ general audience, a weekly event that attracts thousands.
Vatican monitoring situation in Central Africa, but Pope still plans to visit
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Despite the ongoing violence in the Central Africa Republic, Pope Francis wants to visit the country Nov. 29-30, plans for the visit are in place, and the security situation is being monitored, the Vatican spokesman said.
If miracle approved, Blessed Teresa could be canonized Sept. 4
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - The Vatican calendar for the Year of Mercy deliberately set aside Sept. 4, 2016, as a possible date for the canonization of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, if her sainthood cause is concluded by then.
Pray for peace, weep for world at war, Pope says
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - "Jesus wept." Pope Francis opened his morning homily with those words as he spoke about the wars and violence engulfing numerous parts of the world.
The Lord weeps for the sins of a world at war
“The whole world is at war,” and the rejection of the “path of peace” means that God Himself, that Jesus Himself, weeps. This was the message of Pope Francis to the faithful following the readings of the day at Mass on Thursday morning in the Casa Santa Marta.