Pope Francis has called on Catholic parishes, convents and monasteries across Europe to shelter at least one refugee family each. The Pope said the two small parishes at the Vatican “will welcome in these days two families of refugees”. The plight of refugees from war-torn Syria has sparked calls for action worldwide, notably after a Read more
An Italian priest has closed down all activities in his parish, apart from Mass, in an attempt to stamp out rumours he fathered a child. Fr Luciano Venturi, 50, parish priest of Monteobizzo di Pavullo in Modena, has endured the claims for more than a year. On August 30, as Sunday Mass was about to Read more
Pope Francis stunned tourists and passersby on the Via del Babuino in Rome on September 3 by dropping into an optician’s to buy eye-glass lenses. “I don’t want a whole new set of frames, just new lenses,” the pontiff told Alessandro Spiezia, proprietor of the eyewear shop in the heart of the Spanish Steps area. Read more
Pope Francis will use the Spanish language in celebrating the canonisation Mass for Blessed Junipero Serra in Washington, DC, later this month. Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington said that this is in recognition of the US’s large Hispanic population and the fact that Serra spoke Spanish. Spanish is also the Pope’s native tongue and Francis Read more
Pope Francis has announced that all priests will have the discretion to absolve the sin of abortion confessed by women during the upcoming Year of Mercy. This power is normally reserved to bishops, who frequently themselves grant priests permission to forgive the sin. Procurement of an abortion incurs an automatic excommunication under Church law. The Read more
With the approach of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy I would like to focus on several points which I believe require attention to enable the celebration of the Holy Year to be for all believers a true moment of encounter with the mercy of God. It is indeed my wish that the Jubilee be a Read more
Pope Francis has congratulated a single mother on her decision to give birth to two daughters, telling her not to be ashamed. The exchange took place during a video link up between the Pope and people from Chicago, Los Angeles and McAllen, Texas. Single mother Rosemary Farfan told the Pope she had made some mistakes Read more
Pope Francis’s approach to ecumenism is setting him apart from his predecessors, says the head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Cardinal Kurt Koch told a German Catholic website that Francis lays more emphasis than Benedict XVI did on strengthening ecumenical relationships through joint prayer, activities and encounters. The reason for this is Read more
The number of Italian pilgrims visiting Medjugorje in Bosnia has halved since Pope Francis said a decision on the apparitions is imminent. The New York Times reported concerns from locals, as Italian visitors to Medjugorje make up the bulk of pilgrims visiting the village. “Whatever the verdict turns out to be, this wait is creating Read more
Pope Francis sat in the pews for a Mass at the tomb of St Pius X in St Peter’s Basilica on August 21, the saint’s feast day. The Pope had already celebrated Mass in his residence very early that morning and had gone to the tomb of his predecessor to pray for catechists. When the Read more