Articles by Courtney Mares
On Pentecost, Pope Francis says Holy Spirit can bring harmony to ‘a polarized Church’
May 28, 2023 / 05:15 am“Let us put the Holy Spirit back at the center of the Church; otherwise, our hearts will not be consumed by love for Jesus but by love for ourselves.”
Nearly 30,000 abortions in Ireland since referendum came into effect, pro-life group says
May 25, 2023 / 14:15 pmFive years after Irish voters rejected the constitutional amendment that protected “the right to life of the unborn,” more than 28,800 abortions have occurred.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Fitzgerald retires after 4 decades serving Archdiocese of Philadelphia
May 24, 2023 / 05:45 amWith degrees in both civil and canon law, Fitzgerald served as the judicial vicar and the founding director of the Office for Legal Services for the archdiocese.
PHOTOS: Rosary procession in St. Peter’s Square honors the Blessed Virgin Mary
May 22, 2023 / 13:00 pmSt. Peter’s Square was illuminated by candlelight Saturday night as pilgrims prayed the rosary in a procession in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A surfing saint? Pope Francis recognizes the heroic virtue of Guido Schäffer
May 22, 2023 / 11:15 amBrazil’s “Surfer Angel” was a seminarian, a doctor, and a surfer who drowned while surfing in 2009 off the coast of Rio de Janeiro at age 34.
It’s official: Pope Francis will travel to World Youth Day, visit Fatima
May 22, 2023 / 04:40 amThe Lisbon trip will mark the 86-year-old pope’s fourth World Youth Day after taking part in the international Catholic gatherings in Panama, Poland, and Brazil.
Pope Francis on G7 Summit: Nuclear deterrence offers ‘only an illusion of peace’
May 21, 2023 / 08:40 amIn Hiroshima, G7 leaders issued their first-ever statement on nuclear disarmament, with a special focus on Russia.
Pope Francis: ‘We must not get used to war!’
May 21, 2023 / 06:40 amThe pope also prayed for peace in Sudan, where fighting between the country’s military and a coalition of paramilitary forces has killed hundreds.
Guard opens fire as man drives car into Vatican; suspect in custody
May 18, 2023 / 15:13 pmAn unidentified man is in custody after driving a car at high speed through a gate at the Vatican Thursday, the Holy See press office said.
Pope Francis offers condolences after 9 die in northern Italy floods
May 18, 2023 / 07:00 amThousands have been evacuated from the worst-hit areas, which include Ravenna, a city famous for its churches’ sixth-century Byzantine mosaics.
Pope Francis receives phone call during general audience
May 17, 2023 / 09:18 amAfter the pope greeted English-speaking pilgrims at his public audience on May 17, one of his assistants walked over to him and handed him a cellphone.
Pope Francis: Share the Gospel with zeal like St. Francis Xavier
May 17, 2023 / 04:35 amThe pope dedicated his entire general audience to sharing the story of the daring 16th-century saint who risked his life to travel to the “unknown ends of the world.”
Pope Francis prays for cease-fire between Israelis and Palestinians
May 14, 2023 / 06:00 amThe pope spoke hours after a truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants in Gaza went into effect on Saturday night.
Pope Francis entrusts all mothers to Blessed Virgin Mary on Mother’s Day
May 14, 2023 / 05:15 am“We gratefully and affectionately remember all of our mothers, those who are still with us and those who have gone to heaven,” the pope said.
Ambassador Habsburg: Pope Francis will find ‘a vibrant Christian country’ in Hungary
Apr 26, 2023 / 11:30 amHungary’s ambassador to the Holy See Eduard Habsburg says that Pope Francis will find “a vibrant Christian country” when he visits Hungary this weekend.
Pope Francis: Monks and nuns are ‘the beating heart’ of evangelization
Apr 26, 2023 / 05:15 amThe pope pointed to the example of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and other cloistered religious who sustain the life of the Church through intercessory prayer.
Coptic Patriarch to offer Orthodox Divine Liturgy in St. John Lateran Basilica
Apr 21, 2023 / 09:25 amThe May 14 liturgy will take place in the context of an official visit of Coptic Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria to the Vatican.
Pope Francis: Illness and suffering can help us discover what really matters in life
Apr 20, 2023 / 07:00 amWhile the world today can view sickness and suffering as meaningless, Pope Francis wants everyone to remember that Christ has the power to transform suffering into love.
Pope Francis says he will travel to Mongolia
Apr 15, 2023 / 06:50 amA trip to Mongolia would make Pope Francis the first pope to visit the Asian country that shares a 2,880-mile border with China, its most significant economic partner.
St. Peter’s Basilica introduces new ‘prayer entrance’ amid influx of tourism
Apr 14, 2023 / 13:15 pmIn light of the influx of tourists, the Vatican has introduced a separate “prayer entrance” for those who want to enter St. Peter’s Basilica for Mass, confession, or adoration.