Pope Francis sought to encourage and reinvigorate the Catholic Church in Belgium, which has been disheartened by the abuse crisis.
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 says ‘the church should be ashamed of itself’ for the sex abuse crisis in hard-hit Belgium
The prime minister’s speech at the start of Pope Francis’ visit was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip and underscored just how raw the abuse scandal still is in Belgium.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis praises Luxembourg’s culture of welcome, ‘open doors’ to migrants
During a brief visit to Luxembourg, Pope Francis recalled the nation’s painful history and lauded its welcome to immigrants, encouraging its people “to be faithful to this legacy.”
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
What to expect during Pope Francis’ visit to Luxembourg and Belgium
Pope Francis is expected to speak about war and peace, the migrant crisis, ecology, secularization and the sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Vatican cancels papal audiences because Pope Francis has ‘slight flu’
Francis, who will turn 88 on Dec. 17, has not rested one day since his return from the East on Friday, Sept. 13.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis says tax billionaires, stop sports betting in fiery economics speech
In a talk to leaders of popular grassroots movements, Pope Francis said, “It is often precisely the wealthiest who oppose the realization of social justice or integral ecology out of sheer greed.”
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Vatican finally approves Medjugorje devotion: visit Mary but not the visionaries
The Vatican has approved the promotion of devotion to the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje but did not make any declaration on the alleged supernatural character of the Marian apparitions there.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Women deacons, LGBT issues not on the agenda for October’s synod meeting
At a press conference today, Cardinal Grech made clear that there’s no point in returning to these hot-button topics this October since they were already discussed at the first session and are now being studied in-depth.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis talks Gaza war, China deal, sex abuse and more on flight back to Rome
Will he visit Argentina? Why didn’t he denounce the death penalty in Singapore? Is he satisfied with the results of the Vatican-China deal? Pope Francis answered these questions and more on the flight back to Rome.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis: Trump and Harris are ‘both against life’ but Catholics must vote and choose ‘lesser evil’
Asked about the U.S. presidential election, Pope Francis weighed in on the choice between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.