“When we think of Syria, there comes to mind the verse of the Book of Lamentations: ‘Vast as the sea is your ruin; who can heal you?’” Pope Francis said.
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 beatifies John Paul I, the ‘smiling pope’ who governed the church for 33 days in 1978
The beatification of John Paul I took place on a rainy but joyous Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, with a homily by Pope Francis on the beauty of a church “with a happy, serene and smiling face.”
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Cardinal McElroy on Curia reform, Vatican finances and the Pope Francis resignation rumors
In the second part of his interview with America’s Vatican correspondent, Cardinal McElroy describes the discussions of Vatican finance and sexual abuse reforms that happened in the cardinals’ meeting this week.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Exclusive: Cardinal Robert McElroy’s first interview since receiving the red hat
Cardinal Robert McElroy reflects on receiving the red hat from Pope Francis and discusses the points of consensus as well as disagreement at the first worldwide meeting of cardinals since 2014.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis tells College of Cardinals to ‘speak freely’ at first meeting since 2014
Pope Francis opened a two-day meeting of almost 200 cardinals this morning, Aug. 29, to discuss “Predicate Evangelium,” the constitution for the reform of the Roman Curia.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
Pope Francis prays at tomb of Celestine V, urges mercy and humility
Celestine V resigned from the papacy in 1294, the last pope to do so voluntarily before Benedict XVI. Francis, in his homily, praised him for this gesture of humility.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Pope Francis creates 20 new cardinals including Robert McElroy of San Diego
Pope Francis has brought the total number of electors to 132, from 69 countries.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Cardinal Czerny celebrates Mass at Auschwitz in memory of St. Edith Stein and his own grandmother
Cardinal Michael Czerny S.J., visited Auschwitz today to celebrate Mass on the 80th anniversary of the death of Edith Stein, the German Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
Will Pope Francis visit Ukraine? A September trip is possible.
After Pope Francis met with Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See, the ambassador suggested that a papal visit to that war-torn country may happen in the near future.
Posted inFaith, Vatican Dispatch
What Pope Francis’ meeting with a top Orthodox official could signal for Russia-Vatican relations
For the first time since the start of the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis received in a private audience this morning a top-ranking member of the Russian Orthodox Church, second only to patriarch Kirill of Moscow.