While it is easy for people to love what is good and beautiful or to be generous and heroic for an ideal, Pope Francis said Christian love embraces what is not lovable, it offers forgiveness and blesses one's enemies.
This "greater love," which
Even though the world is facing a pandemic that may limit many people's ability to celebrate the sacraments, particularly those people who are in isolation, quarantining or hospitalized with COVID-19, confession by phone is still most likely invalid, said Cardinal Mauro Piacenza,
Barring any obstacles caused by the global pandemic, Pope Francis is set to begin international travel again in 2021 by visiting Iraq in March, which would make him the first pope to visit this nation.
"Pope Francis, accepting the invitation of the Republic
No pandemic and no kind of crisis can extinguish the light of Christ, Pope Francis said.
May people let his light into their heart "and let us lend a hand to those who need it most. In this way God will be born
The ministry of a Catholic bishop must reflect the Catholic Church's commitment to Christian unity and must give ecumenical engagement the same kind of attention as work for justice and peace, said a new Vatican document.
"The bishop cannot consider the promotion of
Pope Francis has made the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, formerly known as the Apostleship of Prayer, a Vatican foundation.
In a document published Dec. 3, the feast of St. Francis Xavier and the 176th anniversary of the network's beginning at a Jesuit novitiate
Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Pope Francis again insisted that all Catholics with disabilities have a right to receive the sacraments, and he suggested that Catholic parishes make real efforts to welcome and train persons with disabilities to serve
While sin may distort and disfigure the image of Christ that every person bears, it does not completely erase it, nor does it remove people from God's abundant mercy, Pope Francis said.
At his weekly general audience Dec. 2, the pope said that
Guaranteeing justice for all men and women is not possible while a few people control most of the world's wealth and everyone else's right to a dignified life is disregarded, Pope Francis said.
In a Nov. 30 video message, the pope encouraged judges
One present young people should ask for this Christmas is words of wisdom from older people they know, a Vatican dicastery said.
"Today, in the difficult circumstances of a Christmas still overshadowed by the pandemic, we are proposing that young people post on
Concelebrating Mass with newly created cardinals, Pope Francis said Advent is a time to be vigilant, hopeful and helpful.
People of faith who believe in the heaven that awaits them should not be caught up with earthly concerns, he said during a Mass