Vatican News

Migrants are a foil to growing 'globalization of indifference,' pope says

Vatican City, May 27, 2019 / 05:03 am (CNA).- In a society of growing individualism and indifference, the presence of migrants and refugees prompts a realization of the need for conversion and a renewed embrace of Christian life, Pope Francis said Monday.

Pope Francis: The Lord invites us to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit

Vatican City, May 26, 2019 / 05:02 am (CNA).- Pope Francis said Sunday that the Church cannot remain static because the Holy Spirit guides the Church along the paths of history.

“The Lord today invites us to open our hearts to the gift of the Holy Spirit,” Pope Francis said May 26.

The mission of the Catholic Church is characterized by docility to the work of the Holy Spirit, who continually makes the Risen Lord alive and present, he said.

Pope Francis appoints new head of Vatican’s interreligious dialogue

Vatican City, May 25, 2019 / 08:28 am (CNA).- Pope Francis appointed Spanish Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot Saturday as president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Guixot succeeds Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, who led the Vatican dicastery for over ten years until his death in July 2018.

Pope Francis: 'Abortion is never the answer'

Vatican City, May 25, 2019 / 06:25 am (CNA).- Pope Francis said Saturday that abortion is never the answer to difficult prenatal diagnoses, calling selective abortion of the disabled the “expression of an inhuman eugenics mentality.”

“Fear and hostility towards disability often lead to the choice of abortion, configuring it as a practice of ‘prevention,’” Pope Francis said May 25.

Do sports, make friends, Pope says

Vatican City, May 24, 2019 / 04:42 pm (CNA).- In an address at a gathering of 6,000 young Italian soccer fans Friday, Pope Francis encouraged the sports enthusiasts to play sports in order to build friendships and teamwork, as an alternative to surface-level friendships made through technology.

“Sport is a great opportunity to learn to give the best of yourself, with sacrifice and commitment, but above all, not alone,” the Pope said May 24. “Listen carefully: sport, not alone.”

Pope Francis urges Catholics to help children by supporting adoption

Vatican City, May 24, 2019 / 10:39 am (CNA).- Adoption is often a difficult and bureaucratic process, but there are many children who need homes and the Church should step up to help them, Pope Francis said Friday.

Speaking May 24 to employees and patients of an Italian hospital for abandoned children, he said, “so many times there are people who want to adopt children, but there is such enormous bureaucracy,” such as high fees or, at worst, corruption.

Former airline pilot appointed to lead diocese of Saginaw, MI

Vatican City, May 24, 2019 / 04:53 am (CNA).- Pope Francis Friday named Bishop Robert D. Gruss of Rapid City, South Dakota, the next bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan.

The Holy Spirit came as fire, not a schedule, Pope Francis tells Catholic charity

Vatican City, May 23, 2019 / 11:05 am (CNA).- Pope Francis Thursday condemned an exaggerated focus on plans and agendas which do not leave room for the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit.

He cautioned against “those particular churches, those who do so much in the organization, plans, to have everything clear, all distributed.”

“It makes me suffer,” he said May 23, at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the opening of the general assembly of Caritas Internationalis.

Investigative authority continues to fight misuse of Vatican financial entities

Vatican City, May 22, 2019 / 11:49 am (CNA).- The Vatican's Financial Information Authority said in their annual report Tuesday that they continue to catch cases of fraud involving the city state's financial institutions, including a case of money laundering.

The report, presented to journalists March 21, showed that there were 56 Suspicious Activity Reports filed with the AIF in 2018, down from 150 in 2017.

Pope Francis prays for China invoking Mary Help of Christians

Vatican City, May 22, 2019 / 03:56 am (CNA).- Pope Francis Wednesday asked Our Lady Help of Christians to intercede for Chinese Catholics, whom he said continue to believe and hope amid trials.

“Dear faithful in China, our Heavenly Mother will help you all to be witnesses of charity and fraternity, keeping you always united in the communion of the universal Church,” Pope Francis said in St. Peter’s Square May 22 following his weekly Wednesday audience.

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