Articles by Courtney Mares
Pope Francis urges Catholic educators to teach inclusive integral ecology
Feb 20, 2020 / 10:08 amPope Francis called for an educational revolution Thursday, telling the Congregation for Catholic Education that more effort needs to be made to accelerate the inclusiveness of education.
Yemen war: A look at a 'serious humanitarian crisis'
Feb 19, 2020 / 11:19 amNearly 24 million people in Yemen are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, according to a Center of Strategic and International Studies report.
Pope Francis: The meek are not pushovers
Feb 19, 2020 / 04:00 amPope Francis said Wednesday that a meek Christian is not weak, but defends his faith and controls his temper.
Pope Francis approves Caritas Internationalis’ new statutes
Feb 18, 2020 / 13:26 pmThe Vatican announced Feb. 17 that Pope Francis had approved changes to Caritas Internationalis’ governing statutes and internal rules.
Pope Francis' Amazon exhortation calls for holiness, not married priests
Feb 12, 2020 / 04:00 amPope Francis published his response to the Vatican’s 2019 Amazon synod in an apostolic exhortation Wednesday. Despite widespread speculation following the synod, the pope does not call for married priests, but seeks to expand “horizons beyond conflicts.”
Pope Francis will travel to Malta in May
Feb 10, 2020 / 03:30 amThe Vatican announced Monday that Pope Francis will visit the islands of Malta and Gozo on May 31.
Pope Francis appeals for displaced women and children in Syria
Feb 9, 2020 / 06:15 amPope Francis appealed Sunday for the protection of women and children fleeing violence in northwestern Syria as more than half a million people have been displaced in two months.
Pope Francis to financial leaders: Ending poverty is our duty
Feb 5, 2020 / 15:12 pmPope Francis called on global financial leaders and economists to end economic inequality Wednesday, saying that modern resources make ending global poverty possible - and a responsibility.
Vatican donates face masks to China amid coronavirus outbreak
Feb 4, 2020 / 09:44 amThe Vatican has donated hundreds of thousands of face masks to China to help limit the spread of coronavirus, which has killed 361 people since the start of the new year.
Homeless gather in Roman basilica to pray for those who died on the streets
Feb 3, 2020 / 06:00 amHundreds of homeless people and volunteers prayed together in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere Sunday to honor those who have died on Rome’s streets.
Filmmakers point to Knock Shrine as a place of hope for Ireland
Feb 2, 2020 / 14:11 pmAs Ireland grapples with high rates of depression and suicide, Irish filmmakers point to the Knock Shrine as a place of hope and healing.
Pope Francis: Grandparents provide crucial link to faith in secularized societies
Jan 31, 2020 / 10:30 amGrandparents can play a pivotal role in ensuring that the faith is passed on to their grandchildren in secularized societies, Pope Francis said Friday.
Pope Francis: Civilized society recognizes the value of human life
Jan 30, 2020 / 06:00 amWarning of the modern tendency to judge human life on the basis of utility rather than dignity, Pope Francis Thursday urged the need to protect the lives of the smallest and most vulnerable.
While #GirlDad trends, US sex-selective abortion is on the rise
Jan 29, 2020 / 12:01 pmIn the wake of basketball star and father-of-four-daughters Kobe Bryant’s death, #GirlDad has gone viral on social media, as fathers share the unique joy of raising daughters. However, in many parts of the world, fewer girls are born than boys today because of sex-selective abortion.
Pope Francis: 'The beatitudes always bring joy'
Jan 29, 2020 / 04:45 amThe beatitudes should be a defining feature of a Christian’s identity because they reveal the way that Jesus lived his life, Pope Francis said Wednesday.
Pope Francis to publish a book with reflections on St. John Paul II
Jan 28, 2020 / 08:00 amPope Francis has co-authored a book of reflections on the life of St. John Paul II to be published in Italian.
Pope's new personal secretary ran a ministry for street children
Jan 27, 2020 / 10:51 amThe Vatican announced Sunday that Pope Francis has a new personal secretary, Fr. Gonzalo Aemilius, a priest from Uruguay known for his ministry with children on the streets.
'Never again': Pope Francis calls for prayer on Holocaust Remembrance Day
Jan 27, 2020 / 04:30 amPope Francis has asked for people to spend a moment in prayer and recollection on Monday for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Pope Francis prays for coronavirus victims in China
Jan 26, 2020 / 06:30 amPope Francis prayed Sunday for people infected by the coronavirus, which has killed 56 people in China.
Pope Francis: Keep a Bible close to you for daily inspiration
Jan 26, 2020 / 04:30 amPope Francis preached Sunday about the life-changing power of God’s word in Scripture, encouraging everyone to keep a Bible close for daily inspiration.