Pope Francis coming to Canada July 24-29
Francis will visit Quebec City, Iqaluit and Edmonton between July 24 and 29, adding the weight of his office to Canadian Catholic efforts to reconcile with Indigenous Canadians and to repair the damage done by Catholic-run residential schools.
Meeting new recruits to the Swiss Guard, Pope Francis thanked the young men for their diligent and important work serving the successor of St. Peter every single day.
Whether or not Pope Francis will visit one of the sites where ground-penetrating radar has revealed possible graves of former residential school students is still not known, as some Indigenous leaders continue to lobby for the Pope to visit these forgotten cemeteries that touched off a national conversation about residential schools last year.
Warning that the Russian Orthodox patriarch should not "turn himself into Putin's altar boy," Pope Francis also said he would like to go to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin in an attempt to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Pope Francis asked his safeguarding commission to provide an annual audit of what the church is doing to protect minors and what needs to change, as well as to urge bishops' conferences to set up special "centers" where victims can be heard and find accompaniment toward "healing and justice."
Pope Francis calls for truth about 2019 Easter bombings
Three years after multiple bombings killed more than 260 people on Easter and lingering questions remain about those behind the attacks, Pope Francis appealed to Sri Lankan authorities to shed light on what happened.
Metis praise Pope Francis for listening
The Red River Metis went to Rome looking for the restoration of their communities, their culture and their churches.
In an Easter message to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, Pope Francis prayed that the Holy Spirit would "transform our hearts and make us true peacemakers, especially for war-torn Ukraine."
Pope Francis meets with Manitoba Métis Federation
The head of the Manitoba Métis Federation said his group's meeting with Pope Francis was an emotional encounter centered on reconciliation between the Indigenous community and the Catholic Church.
Papal tour of Canada begins to take shape
The scope and shape of a summertime papal pilgrimage to Canada is beginning to take shape, though no official itinerary has been put forward.
The joy of Christ's resurrection is needed now more than ever in a time when war in Ukraine and other parts of the world makes the hope for peace seem like an illusion, Pope Francis said before giving his Easter blessing.
The joy of Jesus' resurrection from the dead gives joy and strength to those who are called to bring peace, reconciliation and justice to the suffering and the downtrodden, Pope Francis said.
Alberta Métis man honoured to play before Pope Francis
Alberta Métis fiddler Alex Kusturok says the opportunity to play before Pope Francis during the recent Indigenous meetings in Rome was not only an amazing experience for him, but he’s looking forward to telling his newborn son about it one day.
Before washing the feet of 12 inmates, Pope Francis told them and other prisoners that God never tires of forgiving anyone who asks.
Jesus obeyed the most challenging of commandments: to love one's enemies; and he invites humanity to do the same by breaking a vicious cycle of evil, sorrow and hatred with love and forgiveness, Pope Francis said on Palm Sunday.