Vatican News

Pope Francis announces Laudato si' Week to take place in May

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2020 / 09:57 am (CNA).- Pope Francis is calling on Catholics to participate in “Laudato si’ Week” in May to encourage care for our common home.

“I renew my urgent call to respond to the ecological crisis. The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor cannot wait anywhere,” Pope Francis said in a video message published March 3.

The video shows young protesters yelling, “Climate justice, now” juxtaposed with images of wildlife in Africa and a beached whale.

Spanish-born missionary priest named auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2020 / 07:24 am (CNA).- Pope Francis Tuesday appointed Spanish-born Idente Missionary Fr. Luis Miguel Romero to be an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York.

The bishop-elect is a priest of the Institute Id of Christ the Redeemer religious congregation and has had pastoral and academic assignments around the world.

Pope Francis does not have coronavirus, Italian media reports

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2020 / 04:10 am (CNA).- Pope Francis was reportedly tested for the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, with negative results, an Italian newspaper said Tuesday.

Last week, the pope began to show symptoms of a cold. “His doctors immediately intervened to check the case. Of course, he was also swabbed to see if it was coronavirus but fortunately the outcome was negative,” Vatican journalist Franca Giansoldati reported in Il Messaggero March 3.

Coronavirus postpones pope's global economic summit

Vatican City, Mar 2, 2020 / 10:35 am (CNA).- Pope Francis’ international economic summit, “The Economy of Francesco,” has been postponed until November due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.

The three-day conference, named for St. Francis and scheduled to meet in Assisi, was planned to take place March 26-28 with 2,000 economists and entrepreneurs traveling from 115 countries. Pope Francis was set to address the summit, as were Nobel lauraetes Amartya Sen and Muhammad Yunus.

Pope Francis accepts resignation of Buffalo’s Bishop Edward Grosz

Vatican City, Mar 2, 2020 / 06:15 am (CNA).- Pope Francis Monday accepted the resignation of Bishop Edward Grosz, the auxiliary bishop of Buffalo, who has been accused of mishandling a sex abuse allegation.

Grosz, who turned 75 on February 16, offered his resignation at the age required by canon law. The Vatican’s March 2 announcement accepting Grosz’s resignation did not indicate whether it will conduct any investigation into the allegation against the bishop.

'Never dialogue with the devil,' Pope Francis says

Vatican City, Mar 1, 2020 / 07:08 am (CNA).- Pope Francis said Sunday to follow Christ’s example when dealing with the temptation to sin: send the devil away or answer with the Word of God, but never engage in debate.

When being tempted by the devil in the desert, “Jesus does not talk with the devil. Jesus responds to the devil with the Word of God, not with his word,” the pope said March 1.

Pope Francis to miss Lent retreat due to cold

Vatican City, Mar 1, 2020 / 04:59 am (CNA).- Pope Francis said Sunday he will not take part in his annual Lenten retreat with the Roman Curia in Ariccia this week due to a cold he has had for several days.

“I also ask you to remember in prayer the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia, which will begin this evening in Ariccia,” the pope said March 1.

“Unfortunately, a cold forces me not to participate this year: I will follow the meditations from here.”

Cardinal Re claims Cardinal Zen is at odds with John Paul II, Benedict XVI on China

Vatican City, Feb 29, 2020 / 03:09 pm (CNA).- The newly-appointed Dean of the College of Cardinals purportedly sent a letter to cardinals Wednesday claiming that the China-Vatican deal deal represents the minds of St. John Paul II and of Benedict XVI, and that Cardinal Zen is mistaken in his opposition to the deal.

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