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Pope prays for victims of Oklahoma tornado
Posted: 5/21/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As the death toll rose from the massive tornado that struck near Oklahoma City May 20, Pope Francis offered a special prayer for the victims during his early morning Mass May 21, offered his condolences through his Twitter account and through a message to the city's archbishop.

Struggle for power in church is sin, pope says at Mass
Posted: 5/21/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Careerism and a drive to seek power in the church are sins as old as the church itself, Pope Francis told a group of employees from Vatican Radio and from the Vatican's office for pilgrims and tourists.

At Pentecost vigil, pope shares personal stories of his faith
Posted: 5/21/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With humor and passion, Pope Francis shared highlights of his personal faith journey and explained some key points of his teaching to an enthusiastic crowd of representatives from Catholic lay movements.

Diversity is a blessing when all are united in faith, pope says
Posted: 5/21/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Calling for unity -- not uniformity -- in the church, Pope Francis said diversity is a blessing only when all Catholics recognize and follow church teaching.

Tens of thousands march for life in Rome
Posted: 5/17/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke and U.S. pro-life leaders joined tens of thousands of demonstrators in Italy's third annual March for Life May 12, which ended with a personal greeting from Pope Francis.

Vatican commissions art for display at Venice international exhibition
Posted: 5/17/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- After years of discussion and at least one failed attempt, the Vatican will open a pavilion at the 2013 Venice Bienniale, a major international contemporary art exhibition.

Sainthood cause of 16th-century Jesuit moves to Vatican
Posted: 5/17/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Although it has taken more than 400 years, the sainthood cause of Jesuit Father Matteo Ricci, the 16th-century missionary to China, appears to be back on track.

Vatican tells cardinal to leave Scotland for period of prayer, penance
Posted: 5/17/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who resigned as archbishop after admitting to sexual misconduct, will leave Scotland "for several months for the purpose of spiritual renewal, prayer and penance," the Vatican said.

Pope says there are no part-time Christians; faith is a full-time job
Posted: 5/15/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholics can't put their faith on a part-time schedule or rely on it just for the moments they choose; being Christian is a full-time occupation, Pope Francis said.

Under soot: Spring cleaning means sometimes finding forgotten gems
Posted: 5/13/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A little bit of spring cleaning or a much needed renovation can turn up the most unexpected things -- especially if you're sprucing up or digging through the Vatican.

Pope tells sisters the church needs them, they need the church
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis told 800 superiors of women's orders from around the world that the Catholic Church needs religious women and that religious women need to be in harmony with the faith and teachings of the church.

Only defense against devil, hatred, is word of God, humility, pope says
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Dialogue doesn't work with the devil; the only defense is the word of God, humility and meekness, especially in response to his works of hatred and persecution, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis welcomes retired Pope Benedict back to Vatican
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- For the first time in history, the Vatican is home to a pope and a retired pope.

St. Mary Major: monument to Mary as protector of the church
Posted: 5/10/2013
ROME (CNS) -- The first of Rome's four major basilicas to receive a visit from Pope Francis after his election March 13 was not the closest one, St. Peter's, which sits under the "Loggia of the Blessings" from which the new pontiff first appeared to the world.

At least two die in Tanzanian church bombing; nuncio unhurt
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The deadly bombing of a new church in northern Tanzania left at least two people dead and a dozen injured while the Vatican nuncio escaped unharmed after the attack.

Cardinal says both sides in LCWR case must be open to dialogue
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A day after the Vatican issued a statement saying the congregations for doctrine and for religious were united in wanting a reform of the U.S.-based Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the head of the congregation for religious repeated his call for more dialogue with the sisters.

In Brazil, pope to meet slum-dwellers, politicians, world's youth
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will meet slum-dwellers and powerful politicians, pay homage at a Marian shrine and celebrate with participants at World Youth Day when he visits Brazil in late July.

Vatican, U.S. sign deal to cooperate in fight against financial crime
Posted: 5/10/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In an effort to strengthen its ability to fight money laundering and the financing of terrorism, the Vatican signed an agreement with the United States to share information regarding suspect financial transactions.

Before debate of royal succession, government met with Catholic leaders
Posted: 5/9/2013
LONDON (CNS) -- Church leaders always encourage Catholics in a mixed marriage to try to raise their children Catholic but will take a pastoral approach to keeping the marriage together, said a member of the House of Lords.

Church spokesman: Catholics not divided by remarks over women deacons
Posted: 5/9/2013
OXFORD, England (CNS) -- A German church spokesman denied the country's Catholic bishops are divided after the bishops' conference president, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, provoked controversy by advocating a form of diaconate for women.

Vatican says its congregations collaborate, including on LCWR decision
Posted: 5/7/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Two days after the head of the Vatican office overseeing religious life said he had not been consulted by the Vatican's doctrinal office about a controversial investigation of American nuns, the two bodies affirmed their "common commitment" to reform of the U.S.-based Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

Cardinal beatifies first lay, black Brazilian woman, 'Nha Chica'
Posted: 5/7/2013
SAO PAULO (CNS) -- Thousands of worshippers filled the streets of the town of Baependi for the beatification of the first lay, black Brazilian woman, Francisca de Paula de Jesus.

Cardinal says dialogue was missing from Vatican's look at LCWR
Posted: 5/6/2013
ROME (CNS) -- The Vatican-ordered revision of the statutes of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will continue, but it must be accompanied with a real dialogue, which has been missing from the process, said Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Cardinal ordains U.S. archbishop, two others for diplomatic service
Posted: 5/3/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With ambassadors from around the world in attendance, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone ordained as archbishops three members of the Vatican diplomatic corps -- including U.S. Archbishop Michael W. Banach -- who will serve as nuncios.

Israeli president invites pope to visit Israel, 'the sooner the better'
Posted: 5/3/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres officially invited Pope Francis to Israel, telling the pope "the sooner you visit the better, as in these days a new opportunity is being created for peace, and your arrival could contribute significantly to increasing the trust and belief in peace."

Vatican official says curia reform needs time, dismisses bank rumors
Posted: 5/3/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Amid widespread speculation about a complete and quick reorganization of Vatican departments and rumors in the Italian media that Pope Francis was going to close the Vatican bank, a top Vatican official told everyone to calm down.

Human evolution: Science, faith explore the mysterious emergence of man
Posted: 5/3/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Evolutionary science is still grappling with understanding how the human species, with its unique capacities for language, culture, abstract reasoning and spirituality, may have emerged from a pre-ape ancestor.

Saying 'yes' to God's love makes saying 'no' to sin easier, pope says
Posted: 5/2/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Christian faith is about saying "yes" to God's love and forgiveness in a way that saying "no" to sin will come naturally, Pope Francis said at his early morning Mass.

Belgian bishops criticize women's water attack on archbishop
Posted: 4/28/2013
BRUSSELS (CNS) -- The Belgian bishops' conference criticized an attack on its president, Archbishop Andre Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels, during which he was soaked with water by half-naked women.

As Scots weigh independence, church won't tell Catholics how to vote
Posted: 4/28/2013
GLENELG, Scotland (CNS) -- At the center of this isolated seaside community, overlooked by shadowy mountains on the nearby Isle of Skye, local fishing folk tap their feet as traditional music echoes from the village inn.

Battle with the devil: Pope Francis frames the fight in Jesuit terms
Posted: 4/26/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In the teaching of Pope Francis, the devil has a more dastardly agenda than just convincing people to break one of the Ten Commandments; "the enemy" wants them to feel weak, worthless and always ready to complain or gossip.

Vatican official says Archbishop Romero's sainthood cause 'unblocked'
Posted: 4/26/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family and the official promoter of the sainthood cause of the late Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, said the process to beatify and eventually canonize the slain Salvadoran archbishop has been unblocked.

Italian media report progress in Blessed John Paul's sainthood cause
Posted: 4/26/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Vatican-convoked commission of doctors concluded a healing attributed to Blessed John Paul II had no natural explanation, according to Italian news reports.

Vatican official says July trip to Brazil being tailored to new pope
Posted: 4/25/2013
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Visiting Rio de Janeiro, the chief organizer of papal trips confirmed Pope Francis will participate in the key events of World Youth Day July 23-28 and he said other parts of the papal trip are being tailor-made for the new pope.