Pope Francis
Pope Francis: Cardinals ‘used me’ in 2005 in scheme to block Benedict XVI’s election
By Claire Giangravé — April 2, 2024
(RNS) — Pope Francis said he backed Benedict XVI’s election despite efforts to rig the 2005 conclave.
Vatican to publish document on gender, surrogacy and human dignity next week
By Nicole Winfield — April 2, 2024
ROME (AP) — Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will hold his first news conference to present the document “Infinite Dignity, on human dignity,” on April 8, the Vatican announced Tuesday.
One year ago, Pope Francis disavowed the ‘Doctrine of Discovery’ – but Indigenous Catholics’ work for respect and recognition goes back decades
By Eben Levey — April 1, 2024
(The Conversation) — Indigenous Catholics have long argued they should be able to embrace both sides of that identity.
Pope overcomes health concerns to preside over Easter Mass and appeal for peace in Gaza and Ukraine
By Nicole Winfield — March 31, 2024
ROME (AP) — Francis appeared in good form, despite having celebrated the 2½-hour nighttime Easter Vigil just hours before. The pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling respiratory problems all winter.
Pope Francis visits female penitentiary on Holy Thursday
By Claire Giangravé — March 28, 2024
(RNS) — For the first time, all 12 people who had their feet washed by the pope were women.
For Pope Francis and Vatican diplomats, peace in Ukraine more important than ideology
By Claire Giangravé — March 26, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The pope’s peace mission in Ukraine hasn’t failed, according to Vatican diplomacy experts.
Pope Francis skips Palm Sunday homily at start of busy Holy Week that will test his health
By Nicole Winfield — March 26, 2024
ROME (AP) — The Holy Week schedule is challenging for popes even under the best of circumstances.
Belgian bishop defrocked 14 years after admitting to abusing nephew
By Nicole Winfield — March 22, 2024
ROME (AP) — The Vatican announcement that Francis had laicized Vangheluwe came a few months before the pope is due to visit Belgium, where the case would have been an unwelcome and problematic distraction.
Can you be a feminist and a Catholic? A theologian argues it’s harder than ever.
By Claire Giangravé — March 21, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In a post #MeToo and #ChurchToo world, Catholic feminists struggle to find reasons to stay.
‘There are still so many things to do,’ Pope says in new memoir amid resignation rumors
By Claire Giangravé — March 19, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The new book, ‘Life: My Story Through History,’ is being published in Europe and the United States on the 11th anniversary of Pope Francis’ tenure at the helm of the Catholic Church.
Before tackling troublesome issues, Pope Francis insists on synodality
By Thomas Reese — March 19, 2024
(RNS) — I feel that I am on the Titanic while the crew is meeting to talk about how they should listen to one another.
Pope acknowledges criticism and health issues but says in his new memoir he has no plans to retire
By Nicole Winfield — March 15, 2024
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling bronchitis, the flu and a cold on and off this winter and for the past two weeks has asked an aide to read most of his speeches.
Vatican puts the brakes on Synod on Synodality, pushes ‘controversial’ topics to 2025
By Claire Giangravé — March 14, 2024
(RNS) — Women deacons, priestly formation and other contentious questions won’t be a part of the next synod in October.
Unexpected defeat of referendums shows growing power of Ireland’s traditional Catholics
By Daniel O'Connor — March 13, 2024
DUBLIN (RNS) — At a Mass said in Latin on Sunday (March 10), Ireland’s traditional Catholics declared political victory, days after a pair of referendums aimed at secularizing the Irish Constitution were unexpectedly and resoundingly defeated.
Attacking Pope Francis, anonymous cardinal seeks to curb the influence of his papacy
By Thomas Reese — March 12, 2024
(RNS) — Demos II is a fraud who mourns a church of the past and his own loss of power in it.
