Pope Francis Latest News

These are the latest news about Pope Francis, the Vatican, and the Catholic Church, provided by the Vatican staff of Catholic News Agency, a service of EWTN News.

The Latest

The room where Pope Francis will stay during his visit to Brazil for World Youth Day Rio 2013.

Pope Francis' accommodations for World Youth Day revealed

Jul 15, 2013

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications has posted a series of photos of the room where Pope Francis will stay... Read more

Pope Francis blesses the faithful during his July 8, 2013 visit to Lampedusa, Italy. ANSA/CIRO FUSCO.

Pope's island visit carried light to end of world

Jul 15, 2013

By Andrea Gagliarducci

After the unexpected July 8 visit from Pope Francis, the little Italian island of Lampedusa received “an electric shock,” because... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims July 14 2013 at Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

Pope: God always desires hearts of mercy

Jul 14, 2013

In his first Angelus message from Castel Gandolfo, Pope Francis said God desires “good and generous” hearts full of mercy... Read more

CNA

Italian paper publishes account of missionary who baptized Pope

Jul 12, 2013

The Italian daily Il Cittadino has unearthed the story of Father Enrico Pozzoli, a Salesian missionary from the province of... Read more

CNA

Vatican analyst: encyclical is bridge between two Popes

Jul 12, 2013

The director of L’Osservatore Romano, Giovanni Maria Vian, said Pope Francis’ encyclical “Lumen Fidei” could be considered a “bridge” between... Read more

The Institute for Religious Works or the Vatican Bank as it is commonly known. File Photo/CNA.

Vatican freezes funds of suspended accountant

Jul 12, 2013

The Vatican announced it has frozen the funds of a senior accountant who is accused of laundering money through the... Read more

Pope Francis holds an audience with students from Jesuit-run schools in Italy and Albania in Paul VI Hall June 7, 2013.

Pope says Catholics seeking confirmation can join Anglican ordinariate

Jul 12, 2013

Demonstrating the role of Anglican Ordinariates in the new evangelization, baptized Catholics can now join the groups set up for... Read more

CNA

Pope Francis inspires Colombian priest to sell Mercedes

Jul 11, 2013

Inspired by the words and example of Pope Francis, a priest in Santa Marta, Colombia, said that he has decided... Read more

Professor Giuseppe Dalla Torre and Father Federico Lombardi (L to R) present the changes made by Pope Francis July 11, 2013 to the Vatican's criminal code.

Pope's legal changes respond to globalization of crime

Jul 11, 2013

Pope Francis took a step forward in modernizing the Vatican’s legal code today by explicitly listing certain acts as crimes... Read more

Pope Francis at Mass on July 7.

Bishop says Pope Francis' influence seen throughout encyclical

Jul 10, 2013

Bishop Juan A. Reig Pla of the Spanish diocese Alcala de Henares said that the thought of Pope Francis is... Read more

Pope Francis waves to the crowd at the May 22, 2013 general audience.

Pope gives American Maronites youthful bishop

Jul 10, 2013

Pope Francis has appointed a new bishop for one of only two Maronite Catholic territories in the United States, while... Read more

CNA

Pope offers 'deep sympathy' to Quebec train victims, families

Jul 10, 2013

Pope Francis said he is uniting himself in prayer with the victims of the unusual train explosion that killed at... Read more

Pope Francis holds a June 7, 2013 audience with student from Jesuit-run schools in Italy and Albania.

Pope grants indulgences for World Youth Day

Jul 9, 2013

Pope Francis will grant a plenary indulgence – a remission of all temporal punishment due to sin – to World... Read more

Novices take part in the July 6-7 Year of Faith weekend in Rome.

Buy humble bicycles, Pope advises future priests, nuns

Jul 9, 2013

“I think that bicycles are necessary because there’s a lot of work to do and you have to move around... Read more

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square before the Wednesday general audience, May 22, 2013.

Pope Francis invites homeless to dine at Vatican

Jul 8, 2013

On July 1 Pope Francis invited a group of 200 homeless individuals to dinner at the Vatican, where they were served in... Read more

Pope Francis rides through St. Peter's Square before his Wednesday General Audience, April 3, 2013.

The self-righteous 'can cook in their own stew,' says Pope

Jul 7, 2013

In order to do the Lord’s work, Pope Francis said, we should remember our first encounter with Jesus, in which... Read more

.Pope Francis appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica just after his March 13, 2013 election.

Jesus calls us to be missionaries, Pope Francis reflects

Jul 7, 2013

In his July 7 Angelus reflection, Pope Francis reminded those gathered in St. Peter’s Square that all of the faithful... Read more

Pope Francis begins his popemobile tour of the May 15, 2013 general audience in St. Peter's Square.

Christian life is not a 'collage' of activities, Pope says

Jul 6, 2013

In his July 6 homily, Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to be open to the renewal of the Holy Spirit,... Read more

Pope Francis addresses the Bishops of Italy in a solemn Profession of Faith in St Peters Basilica for their 65th General Assembly May 23, 2013.

Light of faith will illuminate the world, encyclical teaches

Jul 6, 2013

By Andrea Gagliarducci

The theme of light is pivotal in the first Church encyclical written by “four hands.”  Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for his installation on March 19, 2013.

In encyclical, Pope says 'light of faith' must transform lives

Jul 5, 2013

By Michelle La Rosa

In his first encyclical, “Lumen Fidei,” or “The Light of Faith,” Pope Francis highlighted the need to let Christ’s love... Read more