Vatican News

As he leaves Greece, Pope Francis takes 12 refugees with him

Vatican City, Apr 16, 2016 / 06:30 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After traveling to the Greek island of Lesbos, a primary entry point for refugees seeking passage into Europe, Pope Francis decided to bring 12 of them on his plane back to the Vatican as an act of welcome and solidarity.

“The Pope has desired to make a gesture of welcome regarding refugees, accompanying on his plane to Rome three families of refugees,” an April 16 communique from the Vatican read.

Pope: Humiliations can 'open the heart', as they did for Saint Paul

Vatican City, Apr 15, 2016 / 04:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Friday encouraged Christians to embrace the humiliations that God allows in our lives to draw us closer to him and open our hearts, just as Saul did after he was knocked down on the road to Damascus.

During Mass at the chapel of Santa Marta House in the Vatican on April 15, the Holy Father focused his homily on the day’s first reading found in the Acts of the Apostles.

Bernie Sanders didn't meet Pope Francis. But he had high praise for Catholic social teaching.

Vatican City, Apr 15, 2016 / 01:51 pm (CNA).- Pope Francis didn’t attend U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (D-Vt.) speech at the Vatican, but the presidential candidate provided a long reflection on Catholic social teaching, as he saw it.

Sanders spoke Friday at a conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s “Centesimus Annus.” The senator commented:

'We too are living in a time of martyrdom', Pope tells Scottish seminarians

Vatican City, Apr 14, 2016 / 02:39 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The world continues to be “hostile to the Gospel,” just as it was four centuries ago when St. John Ogilvie was martyred for his faith in Scotland, but continuing to witness to Christ will change the world, Pope Francis said on Thursday.

This was the message of the Holy Father to seminarians studying at the Pontifical Scots College in Rome, which marks its 400th anniversary this year.

Ahead of Greece trip, Pope Francis asks for prayers

Vatican City, Apr 13, 2016 / 05:30 am (CNA/EWTN News).- With a last-minute trip to Lesbos just days away, Pope Francis remembered the refugees and residents of the Greek island during his this week’s general audience, and asked for prayers ahead of his one-day journey.

“Next Saturday I will go to the island of Lesbos, through which so many refugees have passed in recent months,” the Pope said at the conclusion of the April 13 audience.

Persecution of Christians can have a polite disguise, Pope Francis warns

Vatican City, Apr 12, 2016 / 05:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Tuesday reflected on the “polite persecution” of Christians that takes away their freedom in the disguise of modernity and progress.

“Persecution, I would say, is the daily bread of the Church. Jesus said so himself,” he said April 12.

During his Mass at the chapel of Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, the Pope reflected on the death of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Pope Francis' Instagram success: a model for Catholic social media?

Vatican City, Apr 12, 2016 / 06:46 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Social media can be a place for evangelization.

The proof? The giant audience for Pope Francis’ new Instagram profile. More than 1 million people followed his “Franciscus” account in the first 12 hours after its March 19 launch. As of April 11, he has over 2.2 million followers on the photo-centered network.

Pope appoints new Vatican ambassador to the U.S.

Vatican City, Apr 12, 2016 / 05:42 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis has appointed French-born Archbishop Christophe Pierre as the Vatican ambassador to the U.S., replacing Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Holy See press office announced Tuesday.

The appointment of the new Vatican ambassador – known as an apostolic nuncio – comes after Archbishop Viganò reached the retirement age of 75 on Jan. 16 of this year. The Italian prelate had served as apostolic nuncio to the U.S. since 2011.

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