Pope Francis
Social media in flames: Pope targeted for not preaching fire and brimstone
Reaction was strong to Pope Francis' statement that he hoped hell would be empty.
Reaction was strong to Pope Francis' statement that he hoped hell would be empty.
Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops gathered around a sculpture in St. Peter's Square to pray for migrants and refugees, especially those who have died...
In the year marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, one of Pope Francis' favorite saints, he published an apostolic exhortation filled with...
Pope Francis invited a group of community organizers from the United States back to his residence for a follow-up discussion about their efforts to listen to gather...
In a video call, Pope Francis had told young Russian Catholics to be proud of their cultural heritage. But he cited as part of that heritage Peter the Great and Catherine...
Responding to a Jesuit's question about U.S. critics of Pope Francis, the pope said there is a segment of the U.S. Catholics who do not recognize how doctrine grows and...
Details are trickling out about a new papal document on the environment as the Catholic Church prepares to join other Christians in celebrating the World Day of Prayer...
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of a religious order that began in Italy, Pope Francis urged them never to forget how their love for the poor and their battle against...
Pope Francis has written the foreword to a new edition of Dorothy Day's 1938 memoir about her conversion to Catholicism. Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement...
"An attitude of openness to others as brothers or sisters is one of the distinctive traits of the pontificate of Pope Francis, of his witness and his magisterium,"...
Young Catholics who went to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, knew about the upcoming assembly of the Synod of Bishops, shared many of the concerns expressed during...
At his first general audience after World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, Pope Francis told pilgrims and visitors about his trip, about the faith of the young people he...
Traditionally in August, the people of Rome -- including many of its priests -- head for the seaside or the mountains to rest and escape the summer heat. Before the big...
Visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, Pope Francis encouraged people to trust that Mary will always welcome them and rush to their aid.
Meditating on the Stations of the Cross with some 800,000 young people at World Youth Day, Pope Francis urged them to let Jesus walk with them through their troubles and...
Pope Francis, addressing church leaders in Portugal, said Catholics must never be resigned to a shrinking church. The call to evangelize is constant and the Gospel must...
Pope Francis should be back at the Vatican by the weekend. His recovery from hernia-repair surgery is going well, the Vatican press office said, citing his doctors.
On the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, patron of the poor, the Vatican published Pope Francis' message for the World Day of the Poor 2023, which will be celebrated in...
In an interview with Telemundo, a U.S.-based Spanish-language television network, Pope Francis was asked about the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, about Ukraine...
Ahead of Pentecost, May 28, Pope Francis spoke about the obligation to share the Gospel with others and encouraged Catholics to ask the Holy Spirit for the gifts of...
In the preface to a book looking at the connection between global economics and environmental destruction, Pope Francis said young people are challenging adults to...
Julian of Norwich, a medieval English mystic, is enjoying new popularity, and Pope Francis said her writings have important lessons for Christians today.
Meeting Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Egypt, Pope Francis paid tribute to the 21 Coptic martyrs murdered by Islamic State in 2015, noting they were...
The new head of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, the office that helps the pope choose new bishops, is a Chicago-born missionary. He spoke to Vatican News about...
Although slowed a bit by continued problems walking, Pope Francis made a three-day trip to Hungary April 28-30, meeting government leaders and refugees and other people...
Catholics must not give up in the face of declining church attendance, but they should not be angry either, Pope Francis told churchworkers in Hungary. Confident that God...
Today is the 60th anniversary of St. John XXIII's encyclical, "Pacem in Terris" ("Peace on Earth"). To mark the occasion, Pope Francis wrote a brief piece for an Italian...
Catholic News Service shares some moments from Pope Francis' celebration of the Holy Week and Easter liturgies.
Pope Francis celebrated Easter morning Mass with tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square and then gave his Easter message, preaching joy and praying for peace...
Pope Francis presided over the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion in St. Peter's Basilica on Good Friday but watched the annual Way of the Cross service from his residence...
Pope Francis celebrated the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper at the juvenile detention facility in Rome where he had celebrated the Mass in 2013. He told the young...
On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis celebrated the chrism Mass with about 1,800 priests, bishops and cardinals and addressed his homily to them. At the Mass, the pope blessed...
A renowned soccer coach and a leading cardinal got together to talk about the role of sports in the life of young people as part of a series of dialogues being held in...
Pension and social security systems require "a strong bond between generations" to keep functioning, Pope Francis told officials and staff working at Italy's national...
Pope Francis was released from Rome's Gemelli hospital April 1 after being treated for bronchitis.
Spending what should be his last afternoon and evening in the hospital, Pope Francis visited children in the pediatric oncology ward. He also baptized an infant boy...
Last year representatives of Canada's First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities asked Pope Francis to repudiate the so-called "doctrine of discovery." Native communities...
The Vatican said the pope does not have COVID-19, but he will stay in the hospital several days for treatment of the respiratory infection.
On the third anniversary of Pope Francis' solo prayer for the world in St. Peter's Basilica during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the Vatican announced that his...
Pope Francis, who has said he goes to confession every two weeks, meets during Lent with priests and those about to be ordained at the end of a Vatican-sponsored course...
Pope Francis led a penance service in a Rome parish to mark the start of the worldwide celebration of "24 Hours for the Lord." He said, "The Lord comes to us when we step...
Pope Francis met in mid-March with the prior of the Taizé Community and Catholic and Protestant representatives planning the ecumenical prayer vigil that will precede the...
Pope Francis marked the 10th anniversary of his papacy March 13 by concelebrating a morning Mass with cardinals who live in Rome. The Vatican did not release the text of...
As the first pope from Latin America, Pope Francis has brought a desire for dialogue and a preference for the poor to the Vatican and to Catholics worldwide.
To view...
Every pope brings his own style to the papacy. Here's a look at some of the key characteristics of Pope Francis' pontificate.
Pope Francis made an ecumenical pilgrimage for peace in South Sudan Feb. 3-5 with Anglican and Presbyterian leaders. A month later, CNS spoke to the Vatican nuncio to...
Since Pope Francis issued his apostolic letter limiting the celebration of Mass according to the pre-Vatican II Roman Missal in 2021, there have been questions about the...
The responsibility priests and laypeople share for the life of the church and its mission "is based on a correct vision of the church: the church as the people of God, of...
Ash Wednesday is just around the corner. The Vatican today released Pope Francis' message for Lent, which focused on seeing Lenten penance and the synodal experience both...
Jesuits make a promise not to seek higher offices in the church. When Pope Francis had his usual question-and-answer sessions with Jesuits in Congo and in South Sudan...
The Vatican is hosting a conference this week on promoting a key teaching from the Second Vatican Council and a fundamental part of being a "synodal church": Helping...
After reciting the Angelus prayer with about 20,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square Feb. 12, Pope Francis spoke about his concern for Bishop Rolando Álvarez of...
Ahead of World Day of the Sick, which the church celebrates Feb. 11, Pope Francis met with members of the Diocese of Rome's special project of outreach and care for...
Pope Francis asked the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury and the moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland to join him for his usual post-trip news conference on...
As part of their historic ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan, Pope Francis, Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and the Rev. Iain Greenshields, moderator of...
Pope Francis held an enthusiastic rally with young people and catechists early Feb. 2 in Martyrs' Stadium in Kinshasa, urging them to recognize their worth and to work...
Pope Francis arrived in Congo Jan. 31 at the start of a six-day visit that will end with an ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan. Both Congo and South Sudan are rich in...
Pope Francis, in a letter to Jesuit Father James Martin, clarified remarks he had made during an interview with the Associated Press published Jan. 25.
Pope Francis will make the 40th international trip of his pontificate Jan. 31-Feb. 5, traveling first to Congo and then making an ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan...
At his weekly general audience, Pope Francis said that when someone feels guilty about his or her sins, all the person has to do is ask God for forgiveness; it's what God...
In his message for World Mission Sunday, to be celebrated in October, Pope Francis said that coming to know Jesus through the Scriptures and the Eucharist should fill...
Marking the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, Pope Francis released his message for World Communications Day 2023. The theme for this year is...
The Word of God, a word of mercy and healing, is a call to conversion and to sharing the Good News with everyone, Pope Francis said as he celebrated Sunday of the Word of...
Pope Francis sends his thanks and blessings to those participating in the National Prayer Vigil for Life.
Working together, Catholics and Buddhists can promote the "change of heart, visions and practices" that are necessary for safeguarding creation, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis met Jan. 14 with seminarians and staff from the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome.
Representatives of the Muslim, Catholic and Jewish faiths came together at the Vatican to sign a document calling for a code of ethics for the use of artificial...
In his message for World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis said the Bible shows how the sick always are at the center of the Lord's love and concern and the same should be...
Like the Magi, Christians need to ask questions, set off on a journey and learn to worship Jesus, Pope Francis said in his homily Jan. 6, the feast of Epiphany.
Pope Francis presided this morning over the funeral Mass for Pope Benedict XVI, who died Dec. 31 at the age of 95. After the Mass, Pope Francis blessed the casket and...
Pope Francis has written the introduction to a new collection of the late Pope Benedict XVI's writings on "principal themes of the Christian faith."
What can you do to make 2023 a happy new year? Celebrating Mass Jan. 1, Pope Francis said that "so many people, in the church and in society, are waiting for the good...
"What signs of life and hope can we see to help us move forward and try to make our world a better place?" Pope Francis asked in his message for World Peace Day, which...
A look back at Pope Francis' 2022, a year he continued to travel despite increased mobility problems, but above all a year in which he prayed and pleaded for an end to...
The Vatican said Dec. 30 that retired Pope Benedict XVI continues to be in serious, but stable condition and was able to participate in Mass celebrated in his room...
In his Christmas message, Pope Francis encouraged people to pay less attention to presents and more to prayer, particularly for Ukraine and other places where war and...
Jesus came into the world at Christmas "to touch our hearts and to tell us that love alone is the power that changes the course of history," Pope Francis said in his...
In his annual pre-Christmas speech to cardinals and top officials of the Roman Curia, Pope Francis focused on the need all Christians and all Christian communities have...
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Roger J. Foys, 75, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Covington and has appointed Father John Iffert, a...
WASHINGTON – As the world awaits to hear updates from the Holy See on the continued recovery of Pope Francis after his surgery last weekend, Archbishop José H. Gomez of...
Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. Msgr. Gregory Gordon as auxiliary bishop of Las Vegas.
Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. Italo Dell’Oro, C.R.S. as auxiliary bishop of Galveston-Houston. Bishop-elect Dell’Oro is a priest of the Congregation of the Somascan...
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Michael J. Sheridan, 76, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Colorado Springs and has appointed Father...
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop W. Francis Malooly, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Wilmington and has appointed Monsignor William...
President Joe Biden convened the Leaders Summit on Climate on April 22-23, which included a video message by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Michael Hoeppner from the Office of Bishop of Crookston.
Call for prayer and solidarity with the Holy Father and the people of Iraq:
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerald R. Barnes, 75, from the Office of Bishop of San Bernardino.
Pope Francis has named Bishop Michael W. Fisher, auxiliary bishop of Washington, as Bishop of Buffalo.
Pope Francis has appointed Rev. David Bonnar, a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, as the Bishop of Youngstown