Vatican News

Is there an end in sight to centuries-old sectarian divisions in Scotland?

Vatican City, Feb 17, 2015 / 02:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Following an ecumenical meeting with Pope Francis on Monday, the moderator of the Church of Scotland said the gathering  was significant, and could signal the end of its tensions with the Catholic Church.

The Church of Scotland is an ecclesial community in the Calvinist and Presbyterian tradition. As its moderator, John Chalmers serves as the ecclesial community's official representative.

Pope offers Mass for murdered Coptic Christians, hails them as 'martyrs'

Vatican City, Feb 17, 2015 / 07:37 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis offered his Tuesday morning Mass for the repose of the souls of the 21 Egyptian Christians killed by ISIS militants, praying that man learn to reject his evil temptations, and choose what is good.

The Pope Feb. 17 prayed for “our brother Copts, whose throats were slit for the sole reason of being Christian, that the Lord welcome them as martyrs, for their families, (and) for my brother Tawadros, who is suffering greatly.”

Unexpected friendships bloom as Vatican rolls out haircuts for homeless

Vatican City, Feb 17, 2015 / 04:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As homeless men and women line up under the massive arms of Saint Peter's colonnade waiting to take advantage of the Vatican's newly-christened showers and barbershop, volunteers who assist them say they are deeply moved by their encounter with a population often rejected by society.

“Initially when they offered me this (job) I thought I would find myself confronted with grouchy, perhaps mean people,” said volunteer barber Danielle Mancuso.

Pope condemns beheading of Egyptian Christians, says blood 'cries out to be heard'

Vatican City, Feb 16, 2015 / 10:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday Pope Francis mourned the 21 Egyptian Christians beheaded by the Islamic State, calling them martyrs that “belong to all Christians.”

“The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard,” the Pope said. “Their only words were: 'Jesus, help me!'”

Pope: Jesus has no 'proxy'– he touches our wounds with his hands

Vatican City, Feb 15, 2015 / 09:14 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his Sunday Angelus address Pope Francis focused on mercy, noting how Jesus heals not by giving lectures, but by going close to those who suffer and curing the “leprosy” of our sin.

“The hand of Jesus touched the leper. He isn't placed at a distance and he doesn't act through a proxy, but is exposed directly to the contagion of our evil; so our own evil becomes the place of contact,” the Pope told pilgrims in his Feb. 15 angelus address.

Take the red hat, but leave the 'spiritual box' behind, Pope tells cardinals

Vatican City, Feb 15, 2015 / 04:27 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After elevating 20 new cardinals, Pope Francis reminded them that true honor is found in service, and urged them to follow Jesus in breaking rigid ways of thinking and touching society’s marginalized.

“Jesus is not afraid of scandal! He does not think of the closed-minded who are scandalized even by a work of healing, scandalized before any kind of openness, by any action outside of their mental and spiritual boxes,” the Pope said Feb. 15.

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