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Pope Francis invoke the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Peace and Mother of Mercy at a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter's Basilica, Friday, Oct. 27.

Pope Francis asks Mary’s intercession in World Day of Peace video

Jan 1, 2024

By Jonathan Liedl

Pope Francis implores the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for an end to human conflicts in a new video released... Read more

Pope Francis waves at the crowd of 1.5 million people who attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal on Aug. 6, 2023.

What countries did Pope Francis visit in 2023 and what did he say?

Dec 30, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Despite advanced age and health challenges, the pope visited six countries on three continents in 2023. Read more

A prayer meeting organized by the Taizé community.

Pope Francis urges young adults at Taizé event to ‘dare to build a different world’

Dec 29, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

The European Meeting is an annual ecumenical Christian event that hosts several thousand young adults from across the world to... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican on May 13, 2023, their first meeting since the start of the full-scale war with Russia.

Pope Francis speaks with Zelenskyy about peace efforts in Ukraine

Dec 29, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the pontiff expressed “his wishes of peace — just peace for all of us” during... Read more

More than 4,000 faithful attended the celebration of the Christmas Mass at the St. George Parish in the suburb of Edappally, India.

Papal Christmas deadline over Syro-Malabar rift is met, but Indian archdiocese simmers

Dec 28, 2023

By Anto Akkara

Protests and disruptions to “unified” Masses mandated by the pope were observed around the archdiocese, but it remains if there... Read more

Christmas Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the night of Dec. 24, 2023.

Full text: Pope Francis’ homily for Christmas 2023

Dec 24, 2023

By Pope Francis

“A census of the whole earth” (cf. Lk 2:1). This was the context in which Jesus was born, and the... Read more

Pope Francis takes a figure of the Christ child in his arms at the end of the Vatican's Mass for the Nativity of the Lord on Dec. 24, 2023.

Pope Francis’ Christmas Mass: Jesus was born to save the world

Dec 24, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis shared a message in his Christmas homily for anyone who may be feeling sad or discouraged. Read more

Pope Francis embraces Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, during a meeting with bishops of the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at the Vatican on Sept. 6, 2023.

Ukrainian archbishop says same-sex blessings document doesn’t apply to Eastern Churches

Dec 22, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said that his statement was in response to numerous appeals from bishops, clergy, monastics, and individual... Read more

People mourn outside the Charles University building following a mass shooting on Dec. 22, 2023, in Prague, Czech Republic. Fourteen people were killed and 25 injured. Police say the gunman was a 24-year-old student at the university.

Pope Francis ‘deeply saddened’ by shooting at Prague university 

Dec 22, 2023

By Courtney Mares

A 24-year-old student opened fire in the university’s philosophy department building after first killing his father outside of Prague. The... Read more

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, and Bishop Robert Barron.

More bishops voice criticism — and support — for Vatican document on blessing same-sex couples

Dec 21, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Some bishops, including Cardinal Gerhard Müller and several bishops in Africa, have firmly denounced the Vatican’s document. Read more

Pope Francis gives his annual Christmas address to the cardinals who work in Vatican offices on Dec. 21, 2023, in the gilded Hall of Benediction at the Vatican.

Pope Francis to Roman Curia: ‘Rigid ideological positions’ prevent us from moving forward

Dec 21, 2023

By Courtney Mares

“Let us remain vigilant against rigid ideological positions that often ... separate us from reality and prevent us from moving... Read more

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Bishops around the world are divided over Vatican’s same-sex blessing declaration  

Dec 20, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Some bishops are welcoming the news, some are approaching it with caution, while others are outright refusing to implement it. Read more

A blessing service at St. Augustin Catholic church in Würzburg, Germany, for couples, including those of the same-sex, May 10, 2021.

TIMELINE: What has the Catholic Church said about same-sex ‘blessings’?

Dec 20, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Here’s a timeline of how the controversy over same-sex blessings has unfolded. Read more

St. Peter's Basilica.

Vatican says priests can bless same-sex couples without condoning their lifestyles

Dec 18, 2023

By Jonathan Liedl

Nonliturgical blessings can be a sign of a person seeking God, not a validation of their lifestyle, the new document... Read more

Pope Francis celebrates his birthday on Dec. 17, 2023, with children and families who are assisted by the Vatican’s Santa Marta Pediatric Dispensary.

Pope Francis celebrates 87th birthday with children who receive aid from Vatican clinic

Dec 17, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis met with children and families who are assisted by the Vatican’s Santa Marta Pediatric Dispensary on Sunday morning,... Read more

A member of the crowd in St. Peter's Square holds up a baby Jesus figure for a blessing by Pope Francis at his Sunday Angelus Dec. 17, 2023.

Pope Francis at Sunday Angelus: ‘Only in God do we find the light of life’

Dec 17, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis reflected on St. John the Baptist, who teaches us that “only in God do we find the light... Read more

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims during his Angelus address on Dec. 17, 2023.

Pope Francis condemns reported Israeli sniper attack on Gaza Catholic church

Dec 17, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem reported that two women were shot by the IDF on Dec. 16. Read more

Pope Francis at his general audience on Nov. 22, 2023.

Pope Francis turns 87: one of the oldest popes in Church history

Dec 17, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

As the 266th successor of St. Peter to the papacy, Francis will be the oldest bishop of Rome since Pope... Read more

Italian Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu (right) waits prior to the start of a consistory during which 20 new cardinals are to be created by the pope, on Aug. 27, 2022, at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

Vatican court convicts Cardinal Becciu, sentences him to 5 years in jail for embezzlement

Dec 16, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Five other defendants in the "Trial of the Century" received similar sentences. Read more

Father Marko Rupnik.

Vatican closing down Loyola Community co-founded by Rupnik

Dec 15, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The shutdown, which must take place within one year, is “due to serious problems concerning the exercise of authority and... Read more