Cindy Wooden

Know heaven is your destiny, Pope Francis says

May 11, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- Just as Jesus told the disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled," he says the same thing to his followers today amid "the dramas of life," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis encourages people to rediscover the need for prayer

May 6, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- The coronavirus pandemic is a "favorable time to rediscover the need for prayer in our lives; let us open the doors of our hearts to the love of God our father, who will listen to us," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis makes promotions within the College of Cardinals

May 1, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has expanded the ranks of the top members of the College of Cardinals, naming as "cardinal bishops" Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Italian government issues rules for funerals as lockdown eases

April 30, 2020

ROME -- While the Italian bishops and government officials continue negotiating a way to resume the public celebration of Masses, the government provided guidelines that permit the celebration of funerals beginning May 4.

Case closed: Vatican says bones are not those of missing woman

April 30, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- Because all of the human bones found in a Vatican cemetery last summer were at least 100 years old, the Vatican City State court officially closed its investigation into the possibility that some of the remains belonged to a teenage woman missing for more than 30 years.

Women vital to seminaries: Ouellet

April 30, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- The Church must “radically change” how priests interact with women, starting by injecting more female voices into priestly formation at seminaries, said Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet.

Pope Francis writes rosary prayers to end pandemic

April 27, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis asked Catholics to make a special effort in May to pray the rosary, knowing that by doing so they will be united with believers around the world asking for Mary's intercession in stopping the coronavirus pandemic.

Italian bishops demand plan for resuming public Masses

April 27, 2020

ROME -- The Italian bishops' conference accused the government of adopting plans to ease the country's COVID-19 lockdown rules in a way that "arbitrarily excludes the possibility of celebrating Mass with the people."

Pope Francis postpones World Meeting of Families, World Youth Day

April 20, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has agreed with a recommendation by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life to postpone by one year the next gatherings of the World Meeting of Families and World Youth Day.

Italian bishops in talks with government on post-lockdown liturgies

April 17, 2020

ROME -- As the Italian government makes plans for a gradual return to normality after the COVID-19 pandemic, representatives of the country's bishops' conference are meeting with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to discuss a resumption of public Masses and, especially, of funerals.