Faith

Christians serve with joy and not with a grimace

May 31, 2016

Pope Francis on Tuesday urged Christians to serve other people, without delay or hesitation, saying if we learnt how to reach out in this way, the world would be a very different place. His remarks came during his homily at the morning Mass in the Santa Marta residence where he used the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary for his reflections on the concept of a Christian at the service of others.

Church needs courageous women like Mary, Pope says at morning Mass

May 31, 2016

VATICAN CITY – The Church needs the service of the many women who continue to follow Mary's example of courage and service despite the odds, Pope Francis said.

Themes of Christian life: memory, prophecy and hope

May 31, 2016

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta on Monday morning. In remarks to the faithful following the Readings of the Day, the Holy Father focused on the threefold theme of the dynamic unity in Christian life, the signs of which are living memory, the prophetic spirit, and the sure horizon of hope.

To Deacons: ‘you are called to serve, not to be self-serving’

May 30, 2016

Pope Francis on Sunday told Deacons from across the globe that they must be generous with their lives and with their time.

Pope Francis tells Internet celebrities to take 'path of optimism and hope'

May 30, 2016

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis is already a celebrity and an internet sensation in his own right, so it was perhaps no surprise that he had words of wisdom for some of YouTube’s top stars in a meeting over the weekend — and that a few Hollywood A-listers were also lining up for a photo-op.

Ignore the church schedule and serve the people, pope tells deacons

May 30, 2016

VATICAN CITY – Deacons are called to be servants who set aside their own self-serving plans and are generous with their lives, Pope Francis said.

Woodworker creates ministry building caskets out of reclaimed lumber

May 29, 2016

FRONT ROYAL, Va. – Above the hum of the table saw, one story was told, then another.

In Lebanon, Muslims and Christians visit Marian shrine at Harissa

May 28, 2016

HARISSA, Lebanon – High on a summit overlooking the Mediterranean, Our Lady of Lebanon stands majestically with her arms outstretched, welcoming her children.

New Polish saint calls people to 'contemplate God's mercy,' bishops say

May 28, 2016

WARSAW, Poland – The founder of the first Polish male religious order, who will be canonized in Rome June 5, calls people "to contemplate God's mercy and proclaim that God's heart is open to all," said Poland's bishops.

Deacons gather in Rome, share reflections on ministry, challenges

May 27, 2016

ROME – Thousands of permanent deacons and their wives began their Year of Mercy celebration by cutting straight to the heart of what it means to be a deacon, how the ministry impacts their families and the challenge of explaining their vocation to others, including bishops and priests.