Everything found in ancient Christian catacombs -- from hand-painted frescoes to ancient graffiti -- speaks of hope, Pope Francis said, encouraging the faithful to visit these underground cemeteries during the Holy Year 2025.
"Indeed, the theme of the Jubilee, 'Pilgrims of hope,' finds
Asked to reminisce about his life and where he was at key moments in history, the 87-year-old Pope Francis obliged, but also used the opportunity to talk about the lessons the events hold today and his hope for the future.
The book, "Life:
Pope Francis called for the release of two religious brothers, members of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, who are still being held hostage in Haiti.
"I have learned with relief that in Haiti, a teacher and four of the
Hope is patient, concrete and extraordinary in that it can change everything, the papal preacher said.
Hope "is the opposite of impatience, of haste, of 'everything immediately.' It is the antidote to discouragement. It keeps yearning alive," Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa told Pope Francis
Pope Francis has named Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera to be secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and Teresa Kettelkamp to serve as adjunct secretary.
Bishop Alí, 56, has been secretary general of the bishops' conference of Colombia since
Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood cause of U.S. Sister Rose Hawthorne, the daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and he recognized the martyrdom of a German priest executed by the Nazis and a German nun and her 14 companions who were raped and
A pope's ministry is meant to last his lifetime, Pope Francis said, and, at least until now, he has not considered resigning.
However, he wrote in a new book, if he were seriously impaired, he would resign, but unlike the late Pope Benedict
The United States established formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See 40 years ago, and the current ambassador in Rome says its mission has been a wonderful success.
"We've tried to hew very closely to the mission that we've been given, and we
The saints are not unreachable "exceptions of humanity" but ordinary people who worked diligently to grow in virtue, Pope Francis said.
It is wrong to think of the saints as "a kind of small circle of champions who live beyond the limits of
The work of protecting minors and other vulnerable people in the Catholic Church involves holding those in positions of power accountable for the abuse they commit, Pope Francis said.
The church's safeguarding efforts "must undoubtedly aim at eradicating situations that protect those who
Pope Francis was not asking Ukraine to consider surrendering to Russia when he called for negotiations to end the war, but he was calling for both Russia and Ukraine to cease hostilities and engage in peace talks, the Vatican's top diplomat said.
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