Nation & World
Pope calls Iraqis to affirm kinship under one God
VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis summarized his “pilgrimage of faith and penitence” to Iraq in a prayer: If God is the God of life — for so he is — then it is wrong for us to […]
World
Nation & World
Precautions taken, pope sees Iraq trip as sign of love, spokesman says
VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis and his aides are well aware of the security and health risks involved with his planned trip to Iraq, but “all the precautions have been taken” and the pope feels a sense […]
Nation & World
Mars missions can inspire next generation scientists, papal astronomer says
VATICAN CITY—As Perseverance, the latest probe on Mars, gears up to send to Earth high-definition images, video and audio of its surroundings, one papal astronomer said he hoped the fresh new discoveries will inspire future […]
Nation & World
Lent is a journey of returning to God
VATICAN CITY—Lent is a time to reconsider the path one is taking in life and to finally answer God’s invitation to return to him with one’s whole heart, Pope Francis said. “Lent is not just […]
Nation & World
Ashes mark beginning, not end, of new life, says theologian
VATICAN CITY—Ash Wednesday and Lent are a time to recall that new life emerges from the ashes and that spring blossoms from the bleakness of winter, said a noted Italian theologian. And when people fast […]
Nation & World
Bishop sprays holy water from firetruck to ‘cleanse’ Colombian city
BOGOTA, Colombia—The bishop of a Colombian city that is suffering from a deadly spike in drug violence boarded a firetruck to spray the town’s main street with holy water and help to “cleanse it” of […]
Nation & World
God wants to open hearts, forgive, heal, pope says
VATICAN CITY—The Gospel story of Jesus healing the leper illustrates how nothing will stop God from tenderly and compassionately drawing close to people who want to be healed and saved, Pope Francis said. “Each one […]
Nation & World
Pandemic shows need for new model of care for elderly, academy says
VATICAN CITY—A new attitude and approach toward the elderly are needed in today’s world, especially in the places and ways they are cared for when they become more fragile, said the Pontifical Academy for Life. […]
Nation & World
Caring for the sick is essential part of church’s mission, pope says
VATICAN CITY—Caring for and healing the sick is an essential part of the Catholic Church’s ministry, just as it was a constant part of Jesus’ ministry, Pope Francis said. “Taking care of the sick of […]
Nation & World
Online ‘prayer marathon’ planned for day of prayer against trafficking
ROME—Organizers of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking are hosting a cross-continental “prayer marathon” Feb. 8 to pray for an economy free of exploited, trafficked persons. Because of the global pandemic, […]