I needed Pope Francis. And not only because I’m part of the Catholic Church and we were without a shepherd . . . I mean I needed him because I’m sinful, and broken, and I need a constant reminder of how to be like Christ. I have been awestruck by him from the first moment Read more
Pope Francis has said that both the Big Bang theory, about the start of the universe, and the theory of evolution do not conflict with Catholic teaching. Speaking to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on Monday, Pope Francis said scientific explanations for the world did not exclude the role of God in creation. “The beginning Read more
Pope Francis has said Christians from different denominations should work for closer ties without waiting for theologians to agree on everything. He told Pentecostal bishops visiting him in Rome that Catholics and Evangelicals should “walk together”. Focussing on differences amounts to “sinning against God’s will”, the Pope said. He said Christians should not wait for Read more
Pope Francis has called for the abolition of life imprisonment, saying that it is another, hidden, form of the death penalty. At a meeting with representatives of the International Association of Penal Law last week, the Pope denounced what he called “penal populism”. This promises to solve society’s problems by punishing crime instead of pursuing Read more
He was not what she was expecting, in several ways. The man who would one day be Pope Francis had come to hold a service far from the grandeur of the great cathedral of Buenos Aires. He had travelled – taking the subway train and then the bus – to arrive in one of the Read more
Can you be more Catholic than the Pope? The American arch-reactionary Pat Buchanan clearly thinks so. He has been lambasting Pope Francis for sowing “confusion among the faithful” by refusing to defend “the unchanging truths of Catholicism”. Indeed, says the US Catholic paleo-conservative, the Pope may be “speaking heresy”, which would imply that Francis is Read more
(CNN) — As Catholic bishops in Rome began a major meeting on modern family life two weeks ago, Pope Francis encouraged them to speak candidly and “without timidness.” He certainly got what he asked for. Bishops bickered. Conservatives contemplated conspiracy theories. Liberals lamented their colleagues’ rigidity. Through it all, the Pope stayed silent. Even when Read more
Paul VI oversaw the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 worldwide church meetings which brought the Catholic Church into modern times. The parallels between Francis and Paul, and the divisive issues both men confronted, are significant. Here are five things to know about Paul VI. Continue reading
Dear Eminences, Beatitudes, Excellencies, Brothers and Sisters, With a heart full of appreciation and gratitude I want to thank, along with you, the Lord who has accompanied and guided us in the past days, with the light of the Holy Spirit. From the heart I thank Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod, Bishop Read more
Pope Francis’ road map for the future of the Church will far outlive his pontificate, a German theologian has predicted. Speaking in Austria during the second week of the recent synod on the family, Cardinal Walter Kasper said Francis is a “gift of God”. The Pope’s theology and his vision for the Church are centred Read more