Vatican News

Vatican pens new contract with global auditing firm

Vatican City, Jun 10, 2016 / 05:36 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After putting a freeze on their contract with external auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers in April, the Vatican has announced a new agreement with the company, who will now serve as an aide to the Holy See’s own internal auditing entity.

Pope sets up group to allocate crisis funds in Ukraine

Vatican City, Jun 10, 2016 / 12:37 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After raising funds for humanitarian relief in Ukraine through a special collection in Europe, Pope Francis has established a committee to decipher the most urgent needs and get help to where it's most needed.

Sick, disabled to take on main roles in jubilee Mass at Vatican

Vatican City, Jun 9, 2016 / 03:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The sick and disabled have always held a special place in Pope Francis’ heart, and have been the recipients of some of his most tender acts as Bishop of Rome. Now they will take on the prominent roles at a Mass for the Year of Mercy at the Vatican.

Simplification, decentralization the keywords in ongoing curial reform

Vatican City, Jun 8, 2016 / 10:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- This week Pope Francis’ council of nine cardinals completed their 15th round of meetings on curial reform, tossing around suggestions on how to better harmonize and simplify the various Vatican departments.

Some “required criteria” formed the framework of the cardinals’ discussions, according to a June 8 communique from Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ.

Pope Francis: Want to celebrate well? Drink wine.

Vatican City, Jun 8, 2016 / 05:09 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In an in-depth look at Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana, Pope Francis pointed to several key moments in the scene that illuminate our understanding of Christ.

One of these key moments, he said, comes with Mary’s observation that newlywed couple’s resources have depleted, and that at a certain point “they have no wine.”

Leprosy is still a problem – and these religious leaders are working to fight it

Vatican City, Jun 7, 2016 / 03:55 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- While many in the developed world might consider leprosy a thing of the biblical past, the illness – officially called Hansen’s Disease – is still a problem for less-advanced nations coated with social stigma.

A scooter from Pope Francis – elderly couple receives gift of mobility

Vatican City, Jun 6, 2016 / 12:40 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An elderly couple with disabilities on the outskirts of Rome now has an electric scooter, thanks to a gift from Pope Francis.

Both the man and the woman suffer from many health problems, including high blood pressure and diabetes, Vatican Radio reports. The woman’s leg was recently amputated. Thanks to the new scooter, the couple can be more independent.

Want to get close to Jesus? Be meek, Pope Francis says

Vatican City, Jun 6, 2016 / 11:31 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Meekness of heart is not foolishness, Pope Francis said Monday, but rather “the capacity to be deep and to understand the greatness of God, and worship Him.”

The Pope reflected during his homily Monday on the Beatitudes as steps that take us towards God.

Francis pleas for solidarity with elderly, marginalized in latest prayer video

Vatican City, Jun 5, 2016 / 11:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For Pope Francis, June is a month dedicated to praying for a demographic he frequently brings up in his speeches and homilies: the elderly, sick and marginalized, particularly for solidarity for those in big cities.

“In our cities the elderly and sick are neglected. Can we ignore it?” the Pope asks in the video, published June 2.

New saints show the power of Jesus' resurrection, Pope Francis says

Vatican City, Jun 5, 2016 / 04:30 am (CNA/EWTN News).- St. Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary and St. Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad are key examples of how to unite oneself to Jesus’ Passion and death, as well as the power of his resurrection, Pope Francis said Sunday, after canonizing the two.

“In the Passion of Christ, we find God’s response to the desperate and at times indignant cry that the experience of pain and death evokes in us,” the Pope said June 5.

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