Pope Francis
St. Valentine’s hometown strikes a balance between Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day
By Claire Giangravé — February 14, 2024
TERNI, Italy (RNS) — The hometown of the saint of love found a compromise between Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday.
Sex is ‘divine’: How Pope Francis is recasting Catholic Church’s views on intimacy
By Claire Giangravé — February 12, 2024
(RNS) — A book on sexuality by the Vatican’s doctrinal chief may have raised eyebrows, but Pope Francis has long been calling for the church to offer more robust teaching on sex.
Pope and Argentine President Milei embrace after pontiff canonizes Argentina’s first female saint
By Nicole Winfield, Gianfranco Stara, and Alessandra Tarantino — February 12, 2024
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Mama Antula was an 18th century laywoman who ministered to the poor and helped keep Jesuit spirituality alive in Argentina after the religious order — to which the pope belongs — was suppressed.
Celebration of lay Catholics of Sant’Egidio highlights group’s growing influence
By Claire Giangravé — February 9, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Members of the lay movement have been handpicked by Pope Francis to aid him at the Vatican.
First Argentine saint brings Pope Francis and Milei together
By Claire Giangravé — February 8, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The right-wing President Javier Milei, who has called Pope Francis an ‘imbecile’ in the past, will meet the pope on Monday.
The Synod on Synodality called for better liturgy. Will anyone listen?
By Thomas Reese — February 6, 2024
(RNS) — If the church is to have a Eucharistic revival, its liturgical texts should promote active participation by all people.
Antisemitism is a sin against God, Pope Francis says, as hate crimes surge
By Claire Giangravé — February 5, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In a letter addressed to Jews in Israel, Pope Francis called for an end to the violence and war in the Holy Land.
Street artist of ‘Super Pope’ fame gets new stamp of Vatican approval
By Nicole Winfield — February 1, 2024
ROME (AP) — Street artist Maupal, whose cartoon-like depictions of Pope Francis as a “Super Pope” have graced buildings around the Vatican for a decade, got an official stamp of approval on Thursday when he appeared at a Vatican news conference.
Pope names 3 Chinese bishops in a week and reorganizes diocese under a controversial 2018 accord
By Associated Press — January 31, 2024
ROME (AP) — The Vatican said all nominations took place “within the framework” of the 2018 Vatican-China accord.
Pope Francis congratulates Italy after tennis player Jannik Sinner wins the Australian Open
By Associated Press — January 31, 2024
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The last Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title was Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Pope Francis says ‘everyone will calm down’ about same-sex blessings
By Claire Giangravé — January 30, 2024
(RNS) — The declaration allowing the blessing of same-sex couples 'wishes to include, not divide,' the pope said.
Pope says Holocaust Remembrance Day reminds world that war can never be justified
By Associated Press — January 26, 2024
ROME (AP) — At the end of his weekly general audience, Francis referred to Saturday’s commemoration, which has become fraught this year given Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and a rise in antisemitism in Europe and around the world.
Pope Francis’ synod made few waves, but organizers say it’s already changing the church
By Claire Giangravé — January 25, 2024
(RNS) — The controversy over blessing gay couples is just another example of synodality at work, according to Sr. Nathalie Becquart.
Catholic clergy in Uganda accuse the West of a new colonialism through LGBTQ activism
By Tonny Onyulo — January 25, 2024
KAMPALA, Uganda (RNS) — Most Ugandan Catholics oppose Pope Francis' recent move to allow priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples.
To bless or not to bless?
By Phyllis Zagano — January 23, 2024
(RNS) — Rome's move to allow LGBTQ couples to be blessed has been misunderstood by many, and misrepresented by others.