In their first meeting, Pope Francis provided the bishops with texts to pray and meditate on.
Gerard O’Connell
Gerard O’Connell is America’s senior Vatican correspondent and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History. He has been covering the Vatican since 1985.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis prays for victims of church bombings carried out by ISIS-inspired family in Indonesia
A family of six that included two young children carried out deadly attacks on three churches in Indonesia on Sunday.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Chilean bishops set to meet with Pope Francis in response to the sexual abuse crisis
In an extraordinary response to a widening sexual abuse crisis, Chilean bishops will arrive in Rome this weekend to participate in a summit called by Pope Francis, May 14 through 17.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis: Never forget that Mary was a lay person
“Never forget that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a lay person and his first disciple.”
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis was likely unaware of Guam archbishop’s presence at Rome celebration
A Vatican source explained that whenever the pope is invited to such a large public event he does not see the guest list in advance nor is the list checked by Vatican officials, as they trust the organizers of these gatherings to act in a responsible way.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
“I was part of the problem,” Francis tells Chilean abuse victims
The pope met with three victims of Chile’s most notorious predator priest, Father Fernando Karadima
Posted inPolitics & Society, Vatican Dispatch
Vatican leave of absence for Cardinal Pell remains as sex abuse trial is ordered
Cardinal George Pell is set to stand trial on charges of sexual abuse that go back decades.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Chilean abuse victims praise personal meetings with Pope Francis
The three Chilean victims of abuse have each commented positively on their personal encounters with Pope Francis over the weekend.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis wants you to join him in praying the rosary for peace
The pope is praying especially for peace in Syria, Nigeria and the Koreas.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis begins personal meetings with Chilean abuse victims
The pope will first meet each of the victims individually, one or more times, and then as a group.