WASHINGTON – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan, 80, from the Office of Bishop of Camden. Bishop Joseph A. Williams, up until now coadjutor bishop of the same diocese, will assume pastoral governance of the diocese.The announcement was publicized in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 2025, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Hundreds of pilgrims from the United States gathered for Mass at the majestic Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica with two main intentions in mind: the health of Pope Francis and the needs of their loved ones at home.In early March, the bishops of Pittsburgh and of San Bernardino, California, led official diocesan pilgrimages […]

ROME (CNS) — For the first time since Pope Francis was hospitalized in mid-February, the Vatican press office released a photograph of him March 16; the image shows him concelebrating Mass that morning in the chapel of his suite of rooms at Rome's Gemelli hospital.The Mass also was the first the Vatican described as concelebrated by the 88-year-old Pope Francis […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has approved the next phase of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, launching a three-year implementation process that will culminate in an ecclesial assembly at the Vatican in October 2028.In a letter published March 15, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the synod, announced that the synod's new phase will focus on applying its conclusions […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Four weeks after Pope Francis was hospitalized and one day after the 12th anniversary of the pope's election, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, celebrated a Mass for the pope with ambassadors accredited to the Holy See."We gather in prayer this morning with the intention of the health of the Holy Father, that he might […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After one full month of being hospitalized and treated for double pneumonia and other respiratory infections, Pope Francis' medical condition has decidedly stabilized, the Vatican press office said.Despite his "complex" medical situation, there has been no significant change for the past few days so doctors caring for the pope at Rome's Gemelli hospital decided not to […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis spent the 12th anniversary of his election to the papacy undergoing physiotherapy at Rome's Gemelli hospital, but he was well enough to celebrate it in little ways.Along with the health care workers treating him, the pope — who has been hospitalized for nearly a month — had a small celebration to mark the anniversary […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis' condition continues to be stable and a chest x-ray "confirmed the improvements recorded in the previous days," his doctors said, but without saying his double pneumonia had cleared up completely.The 88-year-pope is still using high-flow oxygen through a nasal tube during the day and "noninvasive mechanical ventilation" with a mask overnight, said the medical […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As Pope Francis prepared to spend the 12th anniversary of his election at Rome's Gemelli hospital, people at the Vatican and around the world were responding to his most frequent personal request."From the beginning of his pontificate, we have heard Pope Francis ask us to not forget to pray for him, and that is what we […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis is no longer considered in imminent danger from his lung infection, but he will remain in Rome's Gemelli hospital for several more days to continue receiving medical treatment, the Vatican said. The improvements in the 88-year-old pope's condition recorded in the previous days "have been further consolidated" and were confirmed by the results of blood […]