Faith

Pope's homily: In moments of darkness choose path of prayer, patience, hope in God

June 9, 2017

Pope Francis on Friday urged Christians not to fall into the trap of vanity in moments of pain and sorrow but rather resort to prayer patience and hope in God. Do not be misled by the "cosmetic beauty" of vanity, but let that "joy of God" enter your hearts, thanking the Lord for the "salvation" he grants us. Pope Francis made the exhortation in his homily at Mass Friday morning, in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican.

Pope's homily: Hypocrisy destroys communities and hurts the Church

June 6, 2017

Pope Francis on Tuesday urged Christians to be truthful, warning them against the temptations of hypocrisy and flattery. His words came during the homily at morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta.

Pope's homily: Works of mercy means sharing suffering of others

June 5, 2017

Doing works of mercy doesn’t mean just giving coins to assuage our consciences. Rather, it means sharing in the suffering of others, even at personal cost to ourselves. That message was at the heart of Pope Francis’ homily on Monday morning at his regular Santa Marta Mass

Pope's homily: Full text from Pentecost Mass

June 5, 2017

Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday, the Solemnity of Pentecost, in St. Peter’s Square. Below are the full text of his homily in its official English translation.

Restorers unveil frescoed chambers in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla

June 4, 2017

ROME – Under a mown hayfield, whose dried-out stalks crunch underfoot, lies the four-level labyrinth of the early Christian Catacombs of St. Domitilla.

10 years later, ’Summorum Pontificum’ hailed as instrument of unity

June 3, 2017

ROME, Italy – Ten years after Benedict XVI broadened access to the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, the document by which he did so is being hailed as a means of closing the rift of division following liturgical changes made after the Second Vatican Council.

Cloistered nuns turn to Facebook to ensure order's survival

June 3, 2017

ROME – For centuries they lived in isolation and silence.

Mali's first cardinal said to foster regional peace, understanding

June 2, 2017

OXFORD, England – Cardinal-elect Jean Zerbo of Bamako, Mali, the first from the western Africa nation, will use his position to ease the multiple crises facing sub-Saharan regions, an aide said, despite new media accusations linking him to a financial scandal.

Pope's homily: Shepherd the people of God with humility

June 2, 2017

Jesus entrusted his sheep to Peter, the most sinful of the remaining eleven apostles, and invited him to shepherd the People of God with humility and love, despite his mistakes and sins. That was Pope Francis’ message at Mass on Friday morning in the Casa Santa Marta.

Pope's homily: Saint Paul was a model of preaching, persecution and prayer

June 1, 2017

The life of Saint Paul, characterized by preaching, persecutions and prayer, can be a model for all Christians today. That was the theme of Pope Francis’ homily at his Santa Marta Mass on Thursday morning.