Faith
VATICAN CITY - Addressing journalists on his return from his intense five-day visit to South Korea late Monday (Aug. 18), Pope Francis bantered with reporters and lightheartedly said he may only have “two or three” years left to live.
Pope Francis calls on Catholics to dialogue with China, other Asian societies
By Francis X. Rocca, Catholic News ServiceSEOUL, South Korea - Speaking at the execution site of anonymous Korean martyrs, Pope Francis told Catholic bishops and young laypeople from across Asia to evangelize their continent through dialogue and openness, even with others suspicious or intolerant of the church. But he also urged them to challenge aspects of their cultures incompatible with Christian values.
In South Korea, Pope Francis calls for peace, democracy and social justice
By Francis X. Rocca, Catholic News ServiceSEOUL, South Korea - Starting his first visit to Asia, Pope Francis urged South Korean political and civic leaders to seek peace on their divided peninsula and strengthen their nation's commitment to democracy and social justice.
Pope Francis to U.N.: Act to end the tragedy in Iraq
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Pope Francis formally asked U.N. agencies and the entire international community "to take action to end the humanitarian tragedy now underway" in northeastern Iraq.
Vatican seeks Muslim leaders' condemnation of ISIS
By Francis X. Rocca, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - The Vatican called on Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbarity" and "unspeakable criminal acts" of Islamic State militants in Iraq, saying a failure to do so would jeopardize the future of interreligious dialogue.
Pope Francis heads East, pointing to a new future for his Western Church
By Religion News ServicePope Francis departs Aug. 14 on a five-day trip to South Korea, his first to Asia and the start of an important new papal focus on the region: In January, Francis will return to visit Sri Lanka and the Philippines, and a trip to Japan — where the Pope wanted to go as a young priest — is reportedly under consideration.
Pope Francis' finance chief talks Vatican reform
By Francis X. Rocca, Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY - Pope Francis wants a "poor Church for the poor," but that "doesn't necessarily mean a Church with empty coffers," said Cardinal George Pell, "and it certainly doesn't mean a Church that is sloppy or inefficient or open to being robbed."
With no Pope in residence, Vatican opens gardens of papal villa
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News ServiceCASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy - The aisle is paved with stone from an ancient Roman road; the apse is made of carefully trimmed evergreen bushes; the columns are tall, thin cypress trees; and the nave is a lily pond, complete with gold fish.
Pope Francis' Korea trip a chance for Catholics to renew faith
By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead, Catholic News ServiceNORTHVILLE, Mich. - When St. John Paul II canonized 103 Korean martyrs in 1984 in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Alexius Hong was there to attend the canonization Mass.
Pope Benedict XVI OK’d abusive priest in Paraguay, local bishop says
By David Gibson, Religion News ServiceA showdown between Pope Francis and a conservative bishop in Paraguay is heating up as the bishop rejected charges that he sheltered a priest accused of sexual misconduct, and claimed that Pope Benedict XVI himself vouched for the suspect cleric just days before his election as pope in 2005.
Vatican urges priests to clamp down on excessive emotions during the sign of peace
By Josephine McKenna, Religion News ServiceVATICAN CITY - In an effort to insure a more sober ritual, the Vatican has urged bishops to clamp down on singing, moving around and other casual expressions of affection when the sign of peace is exchanged during Mass.