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

Pope Francis addresses young adults gathered in Tirana, Albania, for the Mediterranean Encounters 2024 conference on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.

Pope Francis: Diverse religious identities are ‘a gift from God’

Sep 17, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

“Contemplate the diversity of your traditions as a wealth, a wealth willed by God,” the pope told young adults gathered... Read more

Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matalgalpa, Nicaragua.

Bishop Álvarez chosen by Pope Francis to participate in Synod on Synodality

Sep 17, 2024

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

Exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez is slated to be among the participants in the second and last session of the... Read more

A worshipper waves the flag of China as Pope Francis leaves following the weekly general audience on June 12, 2019, at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

Pope’s Asia visit draws attention to Holy See’s delicate China diplomacy

Sep 16, 2024

By AC Wimmer

As the Vatican-China deal nears renewal, Pope Francis’ Asia tour sparked debate on the future of the Holy See’s ties... Read more

A picture taken on March 27, 2019, shows a scaffold during the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, in Paris.

Pope Francis will not go to Paris for Notre Dame cathedral reopening

Sep 13, 2024

By Courtney Mares

On the plane back to Rome after his journey to Asia and Oceania, Pope Francis definitively ruled out visiting Paris... Read more

Pope Francis speaks to journalists aboard the papal plane during an in-flight press conference on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, on his return from his nearly two-week tour of Southeast Asia.

Pope Francis: U.S. presidential election a choice between ‘the lesser evil’

Sep 13, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Speaking aboard the papal plane, Pope Francis encouraged U.S. Catholics to vote with their conscience in the upcoming Nov. 5... Read more

Pope Francis addresses elderly and sick people on his final day in Singapore on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, marking the conclusion of his 12-day, four-country apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania — the longest trip of his pontificate to date.

Pope Francis concludes apostolic journey with elderly and youth of Singapore

Sep 13, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The interreligious meeting concluded his 12-day, four-country apostolic journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania.    Read more

Archbishop Mark O’Toole was installed as the eighth archbishop of Cardiff in St. David’s Cathedral, Cardiff, Wales, in June 2022.

Pope Francis creates new archdiocese in Wales, appoints its first bishop

Sep 13, 2024

By AC Wimmer

The Bishops’ Conference of England Wales welcomed the move on Thursday as a “new chapter for the Catholic community in... Read more

Pope Francis presides beneath a crucifix at Mass at Singapore National Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024

Pope Francis to Singapore’s Catholics: Follow St. Francis Xavier in spreading God’s love

Sep 12, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The pontiff celebrated Mass in the Singapore National Stadium, a national landmark, on the last full day of his trip... Read more

Pope Francis addresses leaders at the National University of Singapore on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Pope Francis praises Singapore’s spirit of progress, reminds leaders not to exclude the weak

Sep 12, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The pope expressed his admiration for the dedication of the country’s past and present leaders to build unity amid a... Read more

Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz (left) during a meeting in Portugal on Oct. 9, 2023.

Opus Dei prelate asks prayers for new statutes and to share ‘the fire of the Lord’

Sep 12, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The prelate of Opus Dei, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz, renewed his request for prayer for the new statutes of “the Work.” Read more

Singaporeans welcoming Pope Francis to their country on Sept. 11, 2024.

Catholic Church is in the midst of a growth spurt in Singapore

Sep 11, 2024

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

The Catholic Church in Singapore is considered one of the most dynamic and vital in Southeast Asia. Read more

Pope Francis speaks at the Dili Convention Center in East Timor, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024.

Pope Francis leaves East Timor: ‘I’ll never forget your smiles’

Sep 11, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis’ event with young adults was his last stop in East Timor before flying four hours to Singapore for... Read more

Pope Francis during Mass at the Esplanade of Taci Tolu in Dili, Timor-Leste, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Pope Francis’ Mass in East Timor draws 600,000 Catholics

Sep 10, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The pope celebrated the youthfulness of East Timor at the outdoor Mass where the crowd appeared like a sea of... Read more

Pope Francis blesses children at the Irmas Alma School in Timor-Leste on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024

Pope Francis in East Timor says children show us how to ‘be cared for by God’

Sep 10, 2024

By Kristina Millare

“This is what one finds here: love. Without love this cannot be understood. And so we understand the love of... Read more

Pope Francis greets the crowd at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024.

Pope to youth in Papua New Guinea: Words, gestures of love overcome ‘ugly fruit of hatred’

Sep 9, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The pope emphasized that “the language of love, the language of closeness, the language of service” is what can unite... Read more

Dainelys Soto, Genesis Contreras, and Daniel Soto, who arrived from Venezuela after crossing the U.S. border from Mexico, wait for dinner at a hotel provided by the Annunciation House on Sept. 22, 2022 in El Paso, Texas.

What does the Catholic Church teach about immigration and immigrants?

Sep 9, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The Catholic Church has long been an advocate and protector of immigrants. Read more

Two children, one of them holding a statue of Blessed Peter To Rot, await the visit of Pope Francis at the Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Sept. 7, 2024.

Remembering the missionary martyrs of Papua New Guinea

Sep 8, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Here is a closer look at three remarkable individuals who shaped the Catholic mission in Papua New Guinea. Read more

The population of Papua New Guinea is currently 30% Catholic, with growth at a rate of 40,000 baptized each year.

Some people in Papua New Guinea walked 3 weeks to see Pope Francis

Sep 6, 2024

By Nicolás de Cárdenas

Some people even came from the Solomon Islands, about 885 miles to the east in the South Pacific.  Read more

Socorro Vázquez (left) together with Indonesian friends prior to attending a papal Mass in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Spanish expatriate reflects on gift of pope’s visit to predominantly Muslim Indonesia

Socorro Vázquez, a 27-year-old Catholic from Spain, reflected on her experience of Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia and her faith... Read more

A young Catholic attends the papal Mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.

PHOTOS: Pope Francis in Indonesia for his 45th apostolic journey

Sep 6, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The Holy Father on Tuesday landed in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, the first stop on what is to be... Read more