Vatican News

Pope pleads with Middle East churches to address crisis together

Vatican City, Dec 13, 2014 / 04:05 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis addressed the increasing challenges caused by violence in the Middle East with members of the Syriac Catholic Church, urging them to work alongside other churches to find solutions.

“Many have fled to seek shelter from an inhumanity that throws entire populations out into the streets, leaving them without any means of survival,” the Pope observed in his Dec. 12 address.

Francis lauds Nobel Peace laureates, declines to meet with Dalai Lama

Vatican City, Dec 12, 2014 / 12:55 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Following the reception of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize by two south Asians this week, Pope Francis has praised Nobel laureates' efforts for peace but chose not to meet with the Dalai Lama, who won the prize in 1989.

The Pope likely declined to meet with Tenzin Gyatso, who is the 14th Dalai Lama, so as not to complicate the Vatican's relations with the People's Republic of China.

Sister Cristina gives Pope Francis a copy of her music album

Vatican City, Dec 12, 2014 / 02:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Sister Cristina Scuccia, the Ursuline religious who won The Voice Italy earlier this year, greeted Pope Francis on Wednesday and gave him a copy of her new album, "Sister Cristina."

The encounter took place at the conclusion of the Holy Father's General Audience in St. Peter's Square on Dec. 10.

Interviewed by DPA in November, the 26 year-old nun had said she hoped to meet Francis and give him "the first copy" of her album.

Cardinal advisors discuss Curia reform, protection of minors

Vatican City, Dec 12, 2014 / 12:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Efforts to reform the Roman Curia have moved forward with the latest round of Vatican meetings and will continue next year, said Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office.

“Curia reform is an ongoing process, there are no formal decisions,” Fr. Lombardi told members of the media at the end of the Dec. 9-11 meeting of the Council of Cardinals at the Vatican.

Pope Francis likely discussed economic inequality with IMF director

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2014 / 09:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis briefly met Wednesday with Christine Lagarde, managing director of the Internaional Monetary Fund, an organization which intends to foster international trade and sustainable economic growth.

The Holy See press office announced the Dec. 10 meeting without discussing the contents of the leaders' conversation.

Pope Francis plans to create new cardinals in February

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2014 / 10:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis will hold a consistory for the creation of new cardinals Feb. 14-15, 2015, the Holy See press officer announced Thursday, adding that the consistory will follow meetings on the reform of the Roman Curia.

“I have had papal authorization to say that there will be an extraordinary consistory Feb. 14-15, and he will likely create new cardinals during that consistory,” Fr. Federico Lombardi said at a Dec. 11 press conference.

Pope: Are you missing something in your spiritual life? It's probably love

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2014 / 07:40 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his daily homily Pope Francis said that God’s love is always expressed in tenderness, and cautioned that if we haven’t experienced this then something is missing in our relationship with the Lord.

“The grace of God is another matter: it is closeness, it is tenderness. This rule is always valid,” the Pope told those present in the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse for his Dec. 11 daily mass.

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