With pastor’s touch, Pope Francis preached mercy, embraced ‘peripheries’ April 21, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Obituaries, Remembering Pope Francis, Vatican, World News Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88 gave new energy to millions of Catholics — and caused concern for some — as he transformed the image of the papacy into a pastoral ministry based on personal encounters and strong convictions about mission, poverty, immigration and dialogue.
Americans going to Acutis canonization inspired by relatable teen’s love for Eucharist April 20, 2025By Maria Wiering OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, World News The Glamuzinas are among the multitude of Americans planning to attend the canonization of the church’s first “millennial” saint. The canonization Mass, scheduled to be held in St. Peter’s Square, coincides with Divine Mercy Sunday and the 2025 Holy Year’s Jubilee of Teenagers April 25-27.
Pope on Easter: Jesus’ resurrection makes Christians pilgrims of hope April 20, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Easter, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The hope Christians have is not a sign of avoiding reality but of trusting in the power of God to defeat sin and death as the resurrection of Jesus clearly shows, Pope Francis wrote in his Easter message.
Christ’s light breaks through world’s darkness, pope says in vigil message April 19, 2025By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Easter, Feature, News, Vatican, World News As the lights of St. Peter’s Basilica were extinguished and silence settled through the sprawling interior, a single flame — the paschal candle — pierced through the gloom, representing the light of the risen Christ which “quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness,” Pope Francis said.
Religious freedom, migration on agenda as Vance meets Cardinal Parolin April 19, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News Against the backdrop of deep differences with the Trump administration over migration and foreign aid as well as concerns for Ukraine and for Gaza, the Vatican secretary of state welcomed U.S. Vice President JD Vance to the Vatican.
Changing the world demands changing direction, pope writes for Way of Cross April 19, 2025By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Vatican, World News Today’s “builders of Babel” are constructing a hell on earth, rejecting everyone they decide are “losers,” Pope Francis wrote in the meditations for the Way of the Cross.
Love, not power saves the world, papal preacher says at service with Vance April 18, 2025By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Vatican, World News Jesus, who redeemed humanity by giving up his life on the cross, shows that it is not strength that saves the world, but the “weakness” of boundless love, the papal preacher told thousands of people gathered for the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Rebuilt Brick Chapel in St. Mary’s City with its new interior features highlights Maryland as a birthplace of religious freedom April 18, 2025By Mark Zimmermann Catholic Standard Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Religious Freedom A major milestone for the Brick Chapel – a landmark of faith that symbolizes Maryland’s status as a birthplace of religious freedom in the United States – unfolded that day, as the chapel’s interior features were unveiled, culminating more than four decades of historical research, archaeological excavation and painstaking reconstruction work.
The Little Flower and the Great Doctor: Àvila, Lisieux to hold events commemorating Carmelite saints April 18, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, World News Catholics in France and Spain will also have reason to stay in their countries as their respective churches prepare to commemorate two of the Catholic Church’s most popular saints: Sts. Thérèse of Lisieux and Teresa of Ávila.
‘Why them and not me,’ pope asks after Holy Thursday visit to prison April 17, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Easter, Feature, News, Vatican, World News While he did not celebrate Mass or wash the feet of inmates, Pope Francis made his customary Holy Thursday visit to a detention facility, arriving at Rome’s Regina Coeli jail at about 3 p.m. April 17.
New miracle confirmed from Lourdes sanctuary April 17, 2025By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, World News In a joyful moment after the rosary on St. Bernadette Soubirous’ feast day April 16 at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, the shrine’s rector, Father Michel Daubanes, announced that a 72nd miracle at the famed pilgrimage site has been recognized.
Be ‘heralds of hope,’ pope asks priests in homily for chrism Mass April 17, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Jubilee 2025, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments Especially in a Jubilee Year, but also every day, priests are called to continual conversion so that they can authentically preach the good news of hope, Pope Francis wrote in the homily he prepared for the Holy Thursday chrism Mass.
