Cindy Wooden

Pope to celebrate Holy Thursday Mass in Rome prison

March 20, 2018

VATICAN – Pope Francis once again will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper in a prison and will wash the feet of 12 inmates.

Pope ordains three new nuncios, including Canadian

March 19, 2018

VATICAN – Celebrating the feast of St. Joseph, Pope Francis ordained three new bishops who will serve as papal nuncios, or ambassadors.

Pope asks youths to help rejuvenate Church; youths ask Church to listen

March 19, 2018

ROME – The Catholic Church needs the enthusiasm, daring and hope of young people so that it can preach the Gospel energetically and respond to the questions men and women raise today, Pope Francis told some 300 young adults.

Pope urges Catholics to dialogue with government leaders to help migrants

March 8, 2018

VATICAN – Liberating the poor, the oppressed and the persecuted is an integral part of what God wants his church to do, Pope Francis said.

Catholics must counteract 'refusal to welcome' migrants, Vatican spokesperson says

March 6, 2018

ROME –The Catholic Church and Catholic agencies that work with migrants and refugees around the world are called to educate, advocate and seek alternative host countries in the face of a growing "refusal to welcome" newcomers, as the Vatican secretary of state defined the situation.

Francis to proclaim Pope Paul VI a saint this year, debate on his worthiness of sainthood continues

February 22, 2018

VATICAN – While Pope Francis thinks Blessed Paul VI wrote "the greatest pastoral document that has ever been written," great writing does not make a pope a saint.

Pope renews membership of child protection commission

February 17, 2018

VATICAN – Pope Francis has named nine new members to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, including abuse survivors or the parents of survivors, the Vatican said.

Head of Catholic physicians' group warns of threats to conscientious objection

February 16, 2018

VATICAN – No physician should be forced to choose between violating his or her conscience and facing professional sanctions when defending human life, said the president of the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations.

Clients of prostitution are complicit to human trafficking, Pope says

February 12, 2018

VATICAN – Prosperous nations where foreign women are forced into prostitution need to drop their hypocrisy and "face the idea that they are part of the problem, rather than turning away, proclaiming their innocence," Pope Francis said.

Cardinal Marx urges pastoral care, but not 'blessing' of gay couples

February 8, 2018

ROME – The president of the German bishops' conference urged priests to provide better pastoral care to Catholics who are homosexual, but he said, "I think that would not be right" when asked if he could imagine the Catholic Church blessing gay couples.