Pope Francis
Faithful storm out of Mass in Italy after priest criticizes Pope Francis
By Josephine McKenna — April 10, 2017
ROME (RNS) The congregation reportedly shouted “Shame, shame!” at the Rev. Edward Pushparaj when he said the pontiff had only been “bad” for the Catholic Church. The priest has been placed on leave.
Pope opens free laundromat for homeless
By Josephine McKenna — April 10, 2017
ROME (RNS) Since he became pope four years ago, Francis has made it a personal priority to provide them with showers, housing, medical care and other services to help restore their dignity.
After Syrian gas attack, Pope Francis calls on world leaders: ‘End this tragedy’
By Josephine McKenna — April 5, 2017
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The deadly attack occurred as 70 donor countries were meeting in Brussels at a conference hosted by the European Union to support Syria as the conflict enters its seventh year.
Chicago Cardinal Cupich unveils church-led anti-violence initiative
By David Gibson — April 4, 2017
CHICAGO (RNS) Plans to aid the violence-plagued city will be underscored by a Good Friday procession using the traditional stations of Jesus' way to the cross to commemorate those who have been murdered.
Paris conference on deposing a heretical pope looks to the past, not the present
By Tom Heneghan — April 3, 2017
PARIS (RNS) It looked as if the two-day meeting in Paris could be the place where the next steps in the campaign against the pope were being worked out. It turned out to be nothing of the sort.
Vatican says Trump risks losing climate change leadership to China
By David Gibson — March 30, 2017
ROME (Reuters) Pope Francis has made defense of the environment a key plank of his papacy, strongly backing scientific opinion that global warming is caused mostly by human activity.
Francis’ clericalism of mercy is perpetuating the sex abuse scandal
By Mark Silk — March 28, 2017
Marie Collins' resignation should be a wake-up call for the pope.
US cardinal: Pope committed to ending ‘scourge of sex abuse’ despite setbacks
By Josephine McKenna — March 23, 2017
ROME (RNS) Despite turmoil on the commission he created to deal with sex abuse in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis is committed “to rooting out the scourge,” Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley said.
Pope Francis ranks third among Fortune’s ‘greatest leaders’
By Adelle M. Banks — March 23, 2017
(RNS) The magazine cited Francis’ work to balance the modern and traditional aspects of the Roman Catholic Church, and his push for a more inclusive church.
American girl steals pope’s hat
By Josephine McKenna — March 22, 2017
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Francis let out good-humored guffaws a split second later, when he realized what had happened.
Pope to visit war and famine hit South Sudan in October — bishop
By Jerome Socolovsky — March 21, 2017
ROME (Reuters) Pope Francis will visit South Sudan in October if the security situation in the country stricken by civil war and famine does not worsen, a bishop from the country said.
Pope’s Egypt visit offers chance to improve Catholic-Muslim ties
By Gavin Jones — March 18, 2017
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) Francis has accepted an invitation to Cairo on April 28-29 from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Catholic bishops, the pope of the Coptic church of Alexandria and the country's highest Islamic authority, Al-Azhar, the Vatican said Saturday (March 18) in a statement.
Pope says closing firms without protecting workers ‘very grave sin’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — March 15, 2017
(Reuters) Addressing tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday (March 15) for his weekly audience, Francis strayed from his text after mentioning he was worried about how families might be affected by a labor dispute at TV network Sky Italia.
Is Pope Francis really facing a coup? Or just ‘fake news’?
By David Gibson — March 10, 2017
(RNS) As the pontiff marks the fourth anniversary of his election, reports of plotting in the Vatican and a 'civil war' in the Catholic Church are rampant. But a reality check suggests a different story.
Pope Francis: ‘I too know moments of emptiness’
By Josephine McKenna — March 9, 2017
VATICAN CITY (RNS) 'One cannot grow without crises: in human life, the same thing happens,' the pope said.
