Vatican News

Schedule for Pope Francis' Caserta visit released

Vatican City, Jul 22, 2014 / 04:49 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican has released Pope Francis’ schedule for the first of this two-day trip to the Italian city of Caserta, where he will later meet an evangelical pastor and friend from his time in Buenos Aires.

Pope Francis will travel by helicopter to the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy the afternoon of July 26, and will arrive to the NCO (Non-Commissioned Officers) School of the Air Force, in the Royal Palace of Caserta at 3:45p.m.

Pope laments exodus of last Christians from Mosul

Vatican City, Jul 21, 2014 / 05:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his weekly Sunday Angelus address Pope Francis mourned the fleeing of the last Christians from the Iraqi city of Mosul, who were told by ISIS forces last week to either convert, pay the Jizya tax or leave.

“They are persecuted; our brothers are persecuted, they are driven out, they have to leave their houses without having the possibility of taking anything with them,” Pope Francis voiced in his July 20 Angelus address.

Argentine national soccer team sends autographed jersey to Pope

Vatican City, Jul 20, 2014 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In a gesture of gratitude and affection, the Argentinean national soccer team, which lost Sunday to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final, sent Pope Francis an official team jersey autographed by each of its players.

“Here’s the present the team sent to our Pope Francis!” team member Maxi Rodriguez said in a post on his Twitter account, which featured a photo of himself and team captain Lionel Messi holding the jersey.

Pope laments loss of innocent life in Malaysian plane crash

Vatican City, Jul 18, 2014 / 10:16 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Following the crash of a Malaysian passenger plane in eastern Ukraine yesterday, Pope Francis has offered prayers for the victims, urging all parties involved in the country’s conflict to work for peace.

“The Holy Father Francis has learned with dismay of the tragedy of the Malaysian Airlines aircraft downed in east Ukraine, a region marked by high tensions,” A July 18 statement from the Vatican read.

Pope Francis makes phone call to Israel, Palestine presidents

Vatican City, Jul 18, 2014 / 08:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In wake of the rising death toll in Gaza due to increased tensions between Israel and Palestine, Pope Francis made a personal call to the country’s presidents in order to ask for peace.

“Following last Sunday’s heartfelt appeal for continued prayer for peace in the Holy Land, this morning the Holy Father Francis personally telephoned President Shimon Peres and President Mahmoud Abbas,” a July 18 statement from the Vatican read.

Vatican bank starts second phase of reform effort

Vatican City, Jul 17, 2014 / 08:04 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Institute for Religious Works, or 'Vatican Bank', has released its annual report for 2013, announcing the start of the second phase of its intended reform.

Ernst von Freyberg, the outgoing president of the institute’s board, said it will “continue to serve with prudence” and provide specialized financial services to the Church around the world.

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