Vatican News

Pope discusses women in the church, divorce, his own spirituality

July 29, 2013

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM BRAZIL - From his personal prayer life and spirituality to the role of women in the church and the pastoral care of the divorced, Pope Francis responded to several questions about church teaching and ministry July 28 when he met reporters on his flight from Rio de Janeiro to Rome.

Pope says he'd rather trust God than live in bullet-proof bubble

July 29, 2013

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM BRAZIL - With a few Vatican police standing at attention in the very back of the Alitalia plane flying him back to Rome, Pope Francis told reporters about his security even before being asked.

Pope creates body to revamp Vatican's bookkeeping, fiscal responsibility

July 22, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has named a new commission to investigate current accounting practices among all Vatican offices and bodies and to help devise new strategies for greater fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Ramadan similar to Lent

July 14, 2013

TORONTO - Catholics aren’t the only ones who go hungry for their faith. On July 8 or 9, depending on lunar sightings, Canada’s one million Muslims began a month of fasting.

Pope John Paul II was a witness to hope

July 14, 2013

Wonderful, wonderful news! John Paul II, the globe-trotting Polish pope who led the Church for 27 years will be canonized by Pope Francis, probably before the end of the year. So, too, will Pope John XXIII, best remembered for calling the Second Vatican Council. But it is John Paul “The Great” who is my subject.

Double canonization united by Vatican II

July 10, 2013

Two generations of Canadians will be united in the canonization of the pope who called the Second Vatican Council and the one who interpreted it for 27 years.

Pope consecrates Vatican City to St. Joseph, St. Michael the Archangel

July 8, 2013

VATICAN CITY - With retired Pope Benedict XVI sitting next to him, Pope Francis formally recited separate prayers to consecrate Vatican City to St. Joseph and to St. Michael the Archangel.

Encyclical illustrates continuity of two papacies, officials say

July 5, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Presenting Pope Francis' new encyclical and acknowledging how much of it was prepared by retired Pope Benedict XVI, top Vatican officials hailed it as a unique expression of the development of papal teaching and unity in faith.

Pope clears the way for the canonizations of John Paul II, John XXIII

July 5, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis signed a decree clearing the way for the canonization of Blessed John Paul II and has decided also to ask the world's cardinals to vote on the canonization of Blessed John XXIII, even in the absence of a miracle.

'Lumen Fidei' at a glance

July 5, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Here at a glance are the main points of Pope Francis' encyclical "Lumen Fidei" ("The Light of Faith"), released July 5.