Vatican News

Pope Francis called El Paso bishop after prayerful demonstration

CNA Staff, Jun 4, 2020 / 03:40 am (CNA).- Pope Francis on Wednesday called Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, after the bishop joined a demonstration against racial discrimination to pray for George Floyd. 

Seitz told local news website El Paso Matters that he received the two- to three-minute call from Pope Francis on the morning of June 3.

They spoke in Spanish, Seitz said, noting that Francis “said he wanted to congratulate me.”

Pope Francis called Archbishop Gomez to express prayers after death of George Floyd

CNA Staff, Jun 3, 2020 / 02:53 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis called the president of the U.S. bishops’ conference on Wednesday to convey his prayers and solidarity for Americans during the period of national unrest that began with the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed May 25 during an arrest by Minneapolis police.

Vatican Museums offer free entry to Italian medical workers

Vatican City, Jun 3, 2020 / 09:30 am (CNA).- The Vatican Museums are offering free entry to medical workers in appreciation for their work on the front line of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak.

Doctors, nurses, and all other staff members of Italy’s public and private health facilities will have free entry to the museums on June 8-13. 

The announcement June 3 came as Italy opened its regional borders, allowing doctors throughout the country to visit Rome.

Vatican cardinal urges forgiveness, justice in response to George Floyd killing

Vatican City, Jun 3, 2020 / 08:10 am (CNA).- Cardinal Peter Turkson on Wednesday decried the existence of racism around the world, urging people to seek justice and fraternity, and to forgive those who have hurt them or others.

Speaking to Vatican News June 3, the Ghanaian cardinal said racism was a widespread social phenomenon, and could be found not only in the United States but in many other parts of the world.

Pope Francis on what we can learn about prayer from Blaise Pascal

Vatican City, Jun 3, 2020 / 06:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis pointed to an experience of 17th-century mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal as an important testimony of how one can sense the living presence of God in personal prayer.

The pope called a small handwritten note that was discovered sewn into Pascal’s coat at the time of his death “one of the most original texts in the history of spirituality.”

Pope Francis prays for the soul of George Floyd and for peace and justice in US

Vatican City, Jun 3, 2020 / 02:45 am (CNA).- Pope Francis said Wednesday that he is praying for the soul of George Floyd and all victims of racism, adding that nothing is gained by violence.

“Dear brothers and sisters in the United States, I have witnessed with great concern the disturbing social unrest in your nation in these past days, following the tragic death of Mr George Floyd,” Pope Francis said in a video broadcast June 3.

Analysis: Vatican financial reform begins in earnest. Again.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 1, 2020 / 02:30 pm (CNA).- It is Groundhog Day for Vatican financial reform, again. 

On Monday, Pope Francis published sweeping new laws governing Vatican financial dealings, setting new standards for contracts awarded by the city state and curial departments.

The new regulations, published in two parts, explicitly aim to inject transparency and accountability into the often opaque budgeting process of the Holy See and its institutions.

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