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September 27, 2015
PHILADELPHIA - While pilgrims in Philadelphia put up with a long weekend of lines and security checks at the papal venues, the pope reached out to a group of people whose lives are lines and security checks for years at a time.
PHILADELPHIA - Pope Francis urged the hundreds of thousands of people gathered for the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families to serve and care for each other as freely as God loves the human family.
Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis Closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families *Philadelphia, September 27, 2015 Today the word of God surprises us with powerful and thought-provoking images. Images which challenge us, but also stir our enthusiasm. In the first reading, Joshua tells Moses that two members of the people are prophesying, speaking God's word, without a mandate. In the Gospel, John tells Jesus that the disciples had stopped someone from casting out evil spirits in the name of Jesus. Here is the surprise: Moses and Jesus both rebuke those closest to them for being so narrow! Would that all could be prophets of God's word! Would that everyone could work miracles in the Lord's name!
PHILADELPHIA - People were surprised, at least the professional talkers on CNN were surprised, that Pope Francis tossed his script at the Festival of the Families Saturday night.
September 28, 2015
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA - As the American Airlines plane taking him to Rome from Philadelphia took off, Pope Francis said he pictured the faces of all the people he met, and he prayed for them.
PHILADELPHIA - Pope Francis ended his trip to the United States with a call for Catholics to keep the enthusiasm of the visit, while continuing to welcome newcomers and care for creation.
PHILADELPHIA - Irish pilgrims in Philadelphia shared their excitement after Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, announced the 2018 World Meeting of Families would be held in Dublin.
PHILADELPHIA - As confetti rained down and cheers filled the air on the final day of the World Meeting of Families Sept. 25, a family from Argentina applied brushstrokes to a mural depicting Pope Francis -- pushing the number of contributors to the paint-by-numbers mural past 2,263 and into the Guinness Book of World Records.
PHILADELPHIA - Help and healing is possible for Catholic families suffering with violence in the home, said psychologist Christauria Welland.
OTTAWA - The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops have joined other churches in signing an inter-faith declaration seeking action on climate change, poverty reduction and justice for aboriginal peoples.
September 29, 2015
CARMEL, Calif. - Days after St. Junipero Serra was canonized by Pope Francis in Washington, a statue of the 18th-century Franciscan missionary and other property at the Carmel Mission where the saint is buried were defaced.
VATICAN CITY - For World Communications Day 2016, Pope Francis has chosen the theme "Communication and Mercy: A fruitful encounter."
VATICAN CITY - One of the oldest choirs in the world recorded a CD of its repertoire of sacred music surrounded by the famed frescoes of Michelangelo, Perugino, Pinturicchio and Botticelli.
VAUGHAN, ONT. - The St. Joachim Separate School community is coming together to console each other after two of its students were among four family members killed in a traffic collision Sept. 27.
September 30, 2015
OXFORD, England - Congo's Catholic bishops criticized the failure of Western governments to stop the abuse of the continent's natural resources and urged church groups to follow the pope's call to mobilize.
VATICAN CITY - The Vatican does not deny reports that while in Washington, Pope Francis briefly met with Kim Davis, the county clerk from Kentucky who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses.