Pope Francis Archives - Page 11 of 464

Pope Francis

German bishop authorises same-sex blessings in diocese

November 06, 2023

A German bishop issued a letter last Thursday in which he asked pastors in his diocese to bless same-sex couples. Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann wrote to priests, deacons and lay pastoral workers saying that the blessings — which he also extended to remarried couples — could take place in churches in the Diocese of Speyer. “The

Pope speaks with Iran president, confirms call for ceasefire

November 06, 2023

ROME –Pope Francis spoke by phone with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday about the situation in Gaza, marking the latest such call with international leaders focused on ensuring access to humanitarian aid and pursuing ceasefire efforts. The call, confirmed by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni on Vatican News, the Vatican’s formal state-run media platform, took

Catechism author says Pope could change language on LGBTQ+ issues

October 24, 2023

ROME – A celebrated prelate who helped write the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and who’s widely recognised as being among the Church’s top theologians, upheld Church teaching on LGBTQ+ issues on Friday but also said the pope has the power to change the catechism’s language describing homosexual activity as “disordered”. Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

Designed to avoid polemics, Pope’s media blackout on synod may exacerbate them

October 23, 2023

ROME – Perhaps one of the most exciting moments of the Synod of Bishops so far, not to mention one of the most illustrative, took place during a heated exchange between synod organisers and a veteran Vatican reporter over a publicity “fast” called for by Pope Francis during the assembly. In his opening address for

Pope phones Biden to discuss escalating Israel-Hamas conflict

October 23, 2023

ROME – Pope Francis issued another public appeal for peace in the Holy Land and throughout the world on Sunday, and made a phone call to United States President Joe Biden to discuss options for ensuring access to humanitarian aid and the release of hostages. Patriarchs and Church leaders in the Holy Land also issued

Pope calls for October 27 day of prayer after Gaza hospital bombing

October 18, 2023

ROME – Amid international tensions surrounding the war in Gaza following the deadly bombing of a hospital, Pope Francis has called for another day of prayer and fasting for peace, saying war “cancels the future” and breeds hatred and revenge. Speaking to faithful attending his Oct. 18 General Audience, Francis said to the sound of

Pope’s responses to ‘dubia’ pre-synod have made room for other discussion topics, participants say

October 18, 2023

ROME – Participants in the Synod of Bishops on Synodality selected by organisers to speak with the media have said Pope Francis’s comments on women priests and blessings for same-sex couples prior to the gathering eliminated the distraction of getting hung up on specific issues, thereby creating space for other topics to be addressed. The

Does the same fate await ‘synodality’ as befell ‘new evangelisation’?

October 17, 2023

ROME – As the Synod of Bishops on Synodality continues to unfold in Rome this month, it’s increasingly reminiscent of another synod just over a decade ago: The Synod of Bishops on New Evangelisation, which took place under Pope Benedict XVI Oct. 7-28, 2012. Consider the following parallels: Those similarities are already matters of record.