Pope Francis

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Sicilian Judge Killed By Mafia Moves a Step From Sainthood

Pope calls Rosario Livatino a 'martyr of justice'

(Newser) - A Sicilian judge who was called a martyr by Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis has moved to one step from sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. The beatification of Rosario Livatino took place Sunday at the cathedral in Agrigento, near the spot where the judge was shot to...

In Anti-Corruption Move, Pope Limits Vatican Gifts

Employees will have to report on finances every 2 years

(Newser) - Pope Francis set a $48 gift cap for all Vatican employees Thursday and issued a new law requiring Vatican cardinals and managers to periodically report on their compliance with clean financial practices in one of his biggest efforts yet to crack down on corruption in the Holy See. The law...

Minnesota Bishop Resigns at Pope's Request

Bishop Michael Hoeppner accused of pressuring victim to recant claim against a priest

(Newser) - A Minnesota bishop resigned Tuesday at the request of the pope after an investigation determined he'd covered up a sex abuse allegation involving a priest. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston, which is made up of some 35,000 Catholics, said an investigation was launched at the Vatican's...

Pope's Easter Message Has a Note of Anger

Francis calls it 'scandalous' that armed conflicts continue even during a pandemic

(Newser) - During his traditional Easter address, Pope Francis denounced as “scandalous” Sunday how warfare continues to rage around the world even amid a pandemic, per the AP . Francis tempered his wishes of joy on the Christian feast day with accounts of pain from the globe's many armed conflicts and...

Pope Orders Cardinals to Take a Pay Cut

Pandemic has hit Vatican finances hard

(Newser) - Pope Francis, who worked as a bar bouncer and a janitor as a young man in a working-class family in Argentina, has ordered cardinals and other clerics to take a pay cut in order to save the jobs of ordinary workers at the Vatican. The Vatican says cardinals, who are...

Pope: Racism Shows Our Lack of Progress

Francis calls for greater efforts to provide clean drinking water around the world

(Newser) - Pope Francis on Sunday denounced racism, likening it to a virus that lurks, then surfaces to show that "our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive" as people think. Francis tweeted on racism on the date that the United Nations marks as International Day for the Elimination...

Vatican on Gay Unions: We 'Cannot Bless Sin'

Catholic Church rules priests can't sanction same-sex unions

(Newser) - The Vatican decreed Monday that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions since God “cannot bless sin," per the AP . The Vatican’s orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response Monday to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay...

Pope Joins Historic Appeal for Coexistence in Peace

'We need one another,' Francis says after meeting in Iraq

(Newser) - After a historic private meeting with a senior Shiite cleric in Iraq, Pope Francis appealed for religious tolerance. "We need one another," the pope said later in a speech on the desert plain of Ur, believed to be the birthplace of Abraham. "Hostility, extremism and violence are...

Iraq Prepares for First-Ever Papal Visit

It's Francis' first overseas trip since pandemic began

(Newser) - Pope Francis heads to Iraq on Friday to urge the country’s dwindling number of Christians to stay put and help rebuild the country after years of war and persecution, brushing aside the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns to make the first-ever papal visit to the country. Iraqis were keen...

Rockets Hit Iraqi Base Holding US Troops

No casualties or damages reported as Pope prepares for visit

(Newser) - At least 10 rockets were fired Wednesday at an Iraqi military base hosting troops of the US-led coalition to defeat ISIS, including US troops, according to statements from the coalition and military, per ABC News . The rockets struck Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar province at 7:20am local time, coalition...

Pope Names Women to Posts Only Men Had Held

French nun will be the first woman to vote in the Synod of Bishops

(Newser) - Pope Francis has taken two steps to empower women in the Catholic Church's hierarchy, answering calls for change from laypeople, some bishops, and the pope himself. In both cases, women have been appointed to positions that until now have been held only by men, NBC reports. Nathalie Becquart, a...

Pope: Each July, Church Will Honor 'Forgotten' Grandparents

Younger generations are missing out on the wisdom of their elders, Francis says

(Newser) - Pope Francis has established an annual date to honor grandparents and other elders, lamenting that they are often forgotten despite the wisdom they have to offer society. Francis on Sunday announced that every year, on the fourth Sunday of July, the Roman Catholic Church will pay tribute to older adults...

Pope: Women Still Can't Be Priests, but They Can Read at Church

Francis changes law to allow women to take on more responsibilities during Mass

(Newser) - Pope Francis has changed church law to explicitly allow women to do more things during Mass, while reaffirming they can't be priests. Francis amended the law to formalize what's common practice in many parts of the world: that women can read the Gospel and serve on the altar...

Pope: 'Violence Is Always Like This, Isn't It?'

Now that the issues are in the open, Francis says, the problems can be addressed

(Newser) - Pope Francis has told an Italian broadcaster that he was "astonished" by the mob attack at the US Capitol because of the democratic traditions of the US. The pope said in an interview with Mediaset that the private broadcaster is scheduled to air on Sunday that even "in...

Pope Has 'Painful' Reason for Skipping New Year's Events

Francis' back pain due to sciatica will cause him to miss ceremonies

(Newser) - Pope Francis is skipping ceremonies on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day due to what the Vatican says is a painful back condition, a spokesman said Thursday. Matteo Bruni said Francis is suffering from "painful sciatica" and won't preside at a year-end prayer service Thursday...

One Trump, One Obama Take Home 'Most Admired' Crowns

Donald Trump ends Barack Obama's 12-year winning streak, while Michelle Obama wins top spot for women

(Newser) - Donald Trump didn't beat Joe Biden in the election, but he can notch a win against Barack Obama. In its annual survey on the matter, Gallup pollsters asked 1,000 or so American adults to name, without being given choices, a man and a woman they most admire anywhere...

Pope Doesn't Appear to Be a Fan of This Nativity Scene

Vatican's choice for St. Peter's Square has a sci-fi theme

(Newser) - Without directly adding his own art criticism of the Nativity scene chosen by the Vatican this year for St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis has made his preference clear. Twice when speaking the faithful in the square on Sunday, the pope suggested they instead visit the 100 small, more traditional...

Vatican: It's OK to Get Vaccine That Used Abortion Cell Lines

It rolled out the guidance on Monday

(Newser) - The Vatican on Monday declared that it is “morally acceptable” for Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines based on research that used fetal tissue from abortions. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican's watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy, said it had received several requests for...

After Scandals, Pope Revamps Vatican's Finance Intel Unit

It's part of pontiff's efforts to prevent and counter 'money laundering and the financing of terrorism'

(Newser) - Pope Francis has revamped the Holy See's financial intelligence and anti-money-laundering unit following financial scandals, including an ongoing in-house corruption probe, Vatican officials said Saturday. The changes involve the governance and organization of the unit, which has been renamed the Supervisory and Financial Information Authority, or ASIF, the Vatican...

Pope Speaks on COVID, and What 'Changed the Way I Saw Life'

In 'NYT' op-ed, pontiff writes that personal freedoms shouldn't displace the common good

(Newser) - When Pope Francis was 21, he became very sick with a flu that had him gasping for breath and totally dependent on his caretakers. He eventually recovered, but that illness "changed the way I saw life," and it now serves as an important reminder to him that only...

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