Faith

Pope Francis says he is 'a bit feminist,' thanks women religious for hard work

September 17, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Calling himself "a bit feminist," Pope Francis praised women religious for always heading to the "front lines" to bring the church's tenderness and motherly love to those most in need.

Pope Francis: Church is a mother, not a rigid association

September 15, 2015

Pope Francis says the Church is a mother and must have that loving and tender maternal feeling and human warmth as otherwise all that remains is rigidity and discipline. That was the message at the heart of the Pope’s homily on Tuesday (15th September) at the Mass celebrated in the Santa Marta Residence. Tuesday’s Mass was also attended by the C-9 Cardinals who are meeting in the Vatican this week.

Pope: follow the way of the Cross against the temptation of evil

September 14, 2015

If we want to move forward “on the path of Christian life" we must fall, just as Jesus did when he carried the Cross.

Pope Francis: We all risk being hypocrites including me

September 11, 2015

Pope Francis says that we must learn to not judge others or we all risk becoming hypocrites including the Pope himself. At the same time, he said, we need to have the courage to acknowledge our own faults in order to become merciful towards others. The Pope’s comments came during his homily on Friday (11th September) at the morning Mass in the Santa Marta residence.

Pope Francis: A person who can’t forgive is not a Christian

September 10, 2015

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warned against conflicts within the Christian community and said priests who struggle to be merciful should not be hearing confessions. He also reiterated his condemnation of those who produce lethal arms to be used in wars and said Christians must forgive and show mercy in all that they do. The Pope’s remarks came during his homily at Mass on Thursday (10th September) celebrated at the Santa Marta residence.

Pope Francis at daily Mass: Christians persecuted in silence

September 8, 2015

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Monday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, with the recently-elected Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, His Beatitude Gregory Peter XX Ghabroyan, as well as with the Bishops of Synod of the Apostolic Armenian Catholic Church and the Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri.

Pope Francis: Sowing divisions is a sickness in the Church

September 4, 2015

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says sowing divisions and discord is a sickness within the Church and described a person who indulges in gossip as like a terrorist who throws bombs. His comments came during his homily at his Friday (4th September) Mass in the Santa Marta residence.

Pope Francis: The astonishment at the encounter with Jesus

September 3, 2015

(Vatican Radio) The capacity to recognize ourselves as sinners opens us to the astonishment at the encounter with Jesus: that was the message of Pope Francis Thursday morning during Mass for the feast of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church.

Pope Francis: Christian comfort is in Jesus not in chatter

September 1, 2015

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said Christians should comfort each other through good works and kind words and not with useless chatter. He was speaking on Tuesday (1st September) during his homily at his first morning mass at the Santa Marta residence since the summer break.

Vatican backs plan to name Rome square for Martin Luther

August 26, 2015

ROME - The Vatican has given its backing to a central Rome square being named after Martin Luther, a church reformer excommunicated by the pope nearly 500 years ago.