Pope Francis' visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome. Pope Francis' speech to the Jewish Community of Rome. An American Catholic offers a reflection on the recent statement on Catholic-Jewish relations from the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity Initial news headlines on the recent document issued by the Vatican Commission [...]
Pope Francis enters the Great Synagogue of Rome (Galazka photo) Pope Francis visited the Jewish synagogue of Rome on January 17. He emphasized the “rich, common spiritual heritage” of Jews and Christians While the Catholic Church affirms that salvation comes through Jesus, it also recognizes that God is faithful and has not revoked [...]
Celebration of Vespers led by Pope Francis in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls. Orthodox Archbishop of Italy and Malta Gennadios Zervos and the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome David Moxon For centuries, Catholics and Protestants fought wars. Their divisions were profound and caused wounds. Now, says Francis, the search for [...]
Very soon, perhaps on March 19, Pope Francis is expected to publish a document on the family as his conclusion to the work of the two bishops’ Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015 As he approaches the third year of his pontificate, Pope Francis faces his greatest decision yet. It is a decision, many [...]
The dome of St. Peter's Basilica is seen in the distance as people attend the Family Day rally at the Circus Maximus in Rome Jan. 30. The rally was held to oppose a bill in the Italian Senate that would allow civil unions for homosexual and heterosexual couples (CNS photo/Paul Haring) In the [...]
...and in Beijing, the gesture is “noted.” The full text of a controversial recent papal interview Pope Francis gave his first-ever interview on China and the Chinese people on January 28 to Asia Times columnist and China Renmin University senior researcher Francesco Sisci, which follows. In the historic one-hour interview at the Vatican the Pope urged [...]
Chambesy, Switzerland. A group of delegates at the Fourth Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference Orthodox Clear Way to Historic Pan-Orthodox Council After a five-day conference, called a “synaxis,” held during January in Chambesy, Switzerland, representatives of all 14 of the autocephalous (self-governing) Churches of the Orthodox Christian communion agreed to go forward with the “Great Pan-Orthodox [...]
NOVEMBER SUNDAY 1 The Path of the Beatitudes The beatitudes are the most direct path toward happiness and holiness, Pope Francis said during Mass on All Saints’ Day. He urged the congregation to imitate Jesus in walking the difficult, yet rewarding, road to heaven. The Pope said the beatitudes make up “the path of holiness, and [...]
“Grassroots movements important to peace” Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the United Nations, addressed the UN Security Council on November 17. Expressing the Holy See’s sympathy for the victims of recent terrorist attacks, Archbishop Auza reminded the Security Council of Pope Francis’ words to the UN in New York on Sept. [...]
SEPTEMBER Friday 18 Vatican parish welcomes first refugee family following Pope’s appeal The Vatican announced that a family of four — mother, father and two children — was welcomed by the community of the Vatican’s St. Anne Parish in Rome after Pope Francis made an appeal earlier this month for every church in Europe to open [...]
