Pope to open Holy Door at Rome prison at beginning of Jubilee 2025October 28, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Two days after opening the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica to inaugurate the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis will travel to a Rome prison to open a Holy Door as a "tangible sign of the message of hope" for people in prisons around the world, the Vatican announced.The pope will go Dec. 26 to Rebibbia […]Pope warns against becoming a 'sedentary' church after synod's closeOctober 27, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Three years after he asked the world's Catholics to walk together in faith on a synodal journey, Pope Francis said that the church cannot risk becoming "static" but must continue as a "missionary church that walks with her Lord through the streets of the world.""We cannot remain inert before the questions raised by the women and […]Publishing synod document, pope says he will not write exhortationOctober 26, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After members of the Synod of Bishops approved their final document, Pope Francis announced that he would not write the customary post-synodal apostolic exhortation but would offer the final document to the entire church to implement."There are already highly concrete indications in the document that can be a guide for the mission of the churches in […]Archbishop on war in Ukraine: U.S. 'must not fall into isolationism'October 25, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After a two-day trip to Ukraine Oct.19-20, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore said that U.S. Catholics must thoughtfully consider the implications of recent escalations in the region without succumbing to polarized political discourse.Speaking with Catholic News Service Oct. 25, the archbishop, in Rome to participate in the Synod of Bishops on synodality, stressed the need […]Religious Freedom is a Basic Human Right, say Bishop Rhoades and Bishop ZaidanOctober 25, 2024 WASHINGTON – “The Catholic Church teaches that religious freedom is a basic human right, which has even been called the ‘synthesis and summit of all other fundamental rights,’” said Bishop A. Elias Zaidan and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. The bishop chairmen cited the Vatican’s International Theological Commission as they underscored the importance of religious freedom in commemoration of International Religious […]U.S. Bishops’ Anti-Poverty Program Creates a Path to Good Jobs and Stronger CommunitiesOctober 25, 2024 WASHINGTON – As the Catholic Church commemorates the World Day of the Poor on November 17, dioceses across the United States will take up the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) annual collection for their anti-poverty program, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). #iGiveCatholicTogether also accepts funds for CCHD.Founded in 1970, CCHD focuses on promoting the active participation of people […]Only love will save humanity, pope says in encyclical on Sacred HeartOctober 24, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A world that has become "heartless" and indifferent to greed and war, and a Catholic Church in need of revitalizing its missionary joy need to open themselves up to Christ's infinite love, Pope Francis wrote.By contemplating Jesus' Sacred Heart, the faithful can be filled with the "living water that can heal the hurt we have caused, […]Pope Francis’ New Encyclical Invites the Faithful to Open Their Hearts to the Love of ChristOctober 24, 2024 WASHINGTON – Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus can open our hearts to the discovery of "the immense love of the heart of Christ," said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), quoting Pope Francis’ encyclical letter released today. Archbishop Broglio’s reflection on Dilexit Nos follows:“The ills of modern society can read like a litany […]Synod is lesson in moving at 'pace of the Holy Spirit,' archbishop saysOctober 24, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Change in the Catholic Church, including a commitment to recognizing women's leadership gifts and being more welcoming of all people, happens slowly and deliberately, which is a good thing in a rapidly changing world, said the archbishop of Seattle.Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle, a papally-appointed member of the Synod of Bishops, said that as the […]Praying to the Holy Spirit can help couples stay united, pope saysOctober 23, 2024 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Because the Holy Spirit specializes in love and unity, Catholic couples should pray regularly for the Spirit to be present in their marriage, Pope Francis said."Where the Holy Spirit enters, the capacity for self-giving is reborn," the pope said at his weekly general audience Oct. 23, continuing a series of talks about the role of the […]