FAITH/STORIES
Manila cardinal takes delayed possession of his titular church in Rome
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceROME - "We've been waiting a long time," Capuchin Father Gianfranco Palmisani told Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, who showed up a few minutes late to officially take possession of his "titular" church on the Eastern outskirts of Rome.
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis and Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, pledged to support each other with their prayers and to continue the search for full unity between their communities.
Wealth obscures power of God's word, free gift of salvation, Pope says
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - A church that is rich and lacking in praise for the Lord is an old, lifeless church that neglects the true treasure of God's free gift of grace and salvation, Pope Francis said in a morning homily.
Lay members meet to contribute to Regnum Christi's transformation
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceROME - Members of Regnum Christi, the lay movement associated with the Legionaries of Christ, said they don't feel they are on a salvage mission, but rather are part of a transformation.
Religious freedom gets more lip service than guarantees, Pope says
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Religious freedom is talked about more than it is protected, Pope Francis said.
Pope cuts 'boring' speech to answer students' questions
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Pope Francis ditched a 1,250-word prepared speech to students saying it would be "a tad boring" to read out loud and opted instead to just quickly hit the high points and spend the rest of the time answering people's questions.
Pope Francis calls clerical careerism a 'leprocy'
By Francis X. Rocca, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Using especially strong language on one of his favorite themes, Pope Francis decried a plague of careerism among priests and urged them to renounce their personal ambitions for service to the church -- warning that failure to do so would make them look "ridiculous."
Vatican organizing worldwide, simultaneous eucharistic adoration June 2
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Vatican officials are making strategic phone calls to some of the world's most far-flung dioceses, trying to verify that in each of the world's inhabited time zones there will be an organized hour of eucharistic adoration coinciding with 5-6 p.m. Rome time June 2.
At Pentecost vigil, Pope shares personal stories of his faith
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - With humor and passion, Pope Francis shared highlights of his personal faith journey and explained some key points of his teaching to an enthusiastic crowd of representatives from Catholic lay movements.
Rethinking the parish concept
By Michael Swan, The Catholic RegisterThe ideals of parish life aren’t hard to identify. Priests everywhere remind people in front of them on Sunday they are the Church — a community bound together by sacrament and the word of God. It isn’t just the building that is named after a saint but every family and each individual whenever they come together to worship and reach out for the kingdom of God.
Church should be less serious, more loving, says Pope
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - The Catholic Church needs to revive its loving and tender side, which gets lost when the Church becomes too serious, Pope Francis said.
Archbishop says people returning to confession because of Pope
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - The head of the Vatican office promoting new evangelization said that while he does not like the terms "Francis effect" or "Francis bump," it is true that "Pope Francis has touched the hearts and minds of many people."
Pope tells sisters the Church needs them, they need the Church
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Pope Francis told 800 superiors of women's orders from around the world that the Catholic Church needs religious women and that religious women need to be in harmony with the faith and teachings of the Church.