Articles by Courtney Mares
Pope Francis apologizes for losing patience with woman who grabbed him
Jan 1, 2020 / 06:00 amPope Francis apologized Wednesday for losing his patience with a woman who grabbed his arm in St. Peter’s Square on New Year’s Eve.
Pope Francis: Honor the dignity of women for a better world in 2020
Jan 1, 2020 / 05:15 amPope Francis began the new year with a call for the dignity of women to be honored -- not exploited for profit and pornography -- in 2020.
Pope Francis asks families to put down their phones on Holy Family feast
Dec 29, 2019 / 05:30 amOn the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged families to get off their cell phones and talk to one another.
Pope Francis on Christmas: Christ's light is greater than the darkness of world's conflicts
Dec 25, 2019 / 05:30 amOn Christmas, Pope Francis prayed for Christ to bring light to the instability in Iraq, Lebanon, Venezuela, Yemen, Ukraine, Burkina Faso, and other parts of the world experiencing conflict.
Pope Francis and UN Secretary General record video urging religious freedom, climate protection
Dec 20, 2019 / 07:40 amPope Francis and the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres recorded a video message together at the Vatican Friday in which the two leaders urge the importance of religious freedom, human dignity, and environmental protection.
There were over 800 extremist attacks in West Africa in 2019
Dec 19, 2019 / 10:47 amExtremist attacks have risen dramatically in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, from 180 incidents in 2017 to more than 800 violent attacks in 2019, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Cathedral in Iraq's largest Christian town to be rebuilt in 2020
Dec 19, 2019 / 03:01 amThe Great Al-Tahira Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Bakhdida remains charred black inside, five years after the Islamic State plundered and set it aflame; however, in 2020 the Syriac Catholic cathedral will be restored as Iraq’s largest Christian community fights to rebuild and regain what was lost.
Former Continuing Anglican bishop to be received into the Catholic Church
Dec 17, 2019 / 14:06 pmGavin Ashenden, a former Honorary Chaplain to the Queen in the Church of England who was consecrated a bishop in a Continuing Anglican ecclesial community, will be received into the Catholic Church on Sunday.
'Angels Unawares' - Vatican migration sculpture coming to United States
Dec 17, 2019 / 12:56 pmIn 2019, Pope Francis unveiled a new bronze sculpture in St. Peter’s Square, “Angels Unawares,” a depiction of migrants throughout history crammed together on a boat with the holy family.
Pope Francis celebrates a Filipino Christmas tradition at the Vatican
Dec 15, 2019 / 10:00 amOn Gaudete Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated a Filipino Christmas tradition in St. Peter’s Basilica -- the Simbang Gabi Christmas novena.
Pope Francis: Advent is a time of conversion
Dec 15, 2019 / 05:30 amAs Pope Francis blessed children's nativity scene figurines Sunday, the pope said that the Advent season is a time of conversion to make space in one’s heart for Christ to come and fill it with joy.
US bishops in Rome ask Pope Francis about McCarrick report
Dec 13, 2019 / 09:56 amAmerican bishops from the Midwest met with Pope Francis this week with questions about the outcome of the Vatican’s investigation of Theodore McCarrick.
Pope Francis celebrates 50th ordination anniversary by honoring his mentor
Dec 13, 2019 / 06:00 amFifty years ago on Dec. 13, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was ordained a Jesuit priest in Argentina. As pope, he will celebrate his ordination anniversary Friday by honoring one of his early spiritual mentors, Fr. Miguel Angel Fiorito.
Pope Francis: The world needs peacemakers open to dialogue, forgiveness
Dec 12, 2019 / 10:15 amPope Francis’ message for the 2020 World Day of Peace released Thursday calls for openness to dialogue, commitment to forgiveness, and an ecological conversion.
Pope Francis: 'Holiness is the true light of the Church'
Dec 12, 2019 / 04:00 amPope Francis said Thursday that the often hidden holiness lived out in everyday life is a true light within the Church.
Pope thanks Ruthenian Catholics of Ukraine for fidelity to Christ in Soviet era
Dec 11, 2019 / 14:40 pmPope Francis praised Wednesday the courage of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Mukachevo, which emerged from hiding 30 years ago after persecution in Soviet Ukraine.
Pope Francis prays for Chile after plane disappears near Antarctica
Dec 11, 2019 / 09:57 amPope Francis is closely following the news of the Chilean military plane bound for Antarctica that went missing with 38 people aboard, the Vatican Secretary of State said Wednesday.
Pope Francis: Don't forget the real meaning of Christmas
Dec 5, 2019 / 10:40 amAhead of the Vatican Christmas tree lighting Dec. 5, Pope Francis expressed hope that the nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square will serve as a reminder of what Christmas is truly about.
Pope Francis tells Jesuits he is shocked by anti-immigration narratives in Europe
Dec 5, 2019 / 05:00 amPope Francis decried the mistreatment of migrants and said that he is shocked by anti-immigration narratives within Europe during a conversation with Jesuits in Thailand published Thursday.
Advent advice from Pope Francis: Choose prayer and charity over consumerism
Dec 1, 2019 / 15:30 pmThis Advent, choose prayer and charity over consumerism, Pope Francis said Sunday in his first Mass of the liturgical year.