pope francis News

Pope Francis, Zuckerberg: Communications tech a tool vs poverty

Pope Francis and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg have agreed that communications technology holds a crucial role in the crusade to eliminate poverty.

Grim search for bodies continues in earthquake-hit central Italy

By Nathan Salant

Amatrice - Searchers are looking for at least 10 residents missing in the wreckage of Amatrice following last week's powerful earthquake that killed hundreds of people and destroyed several historic towns in Italy's central mountains, 65 miles east of Rome.

Pope Francis says gays, and others, deserve apology from church

By Marcus Hondro

While Pope Francis stopped short of actually issuing one, on Sunday he said he believes that gay people deserve an apology from the Roman Catholic Church. He was responding to a question posed while on a plane.

Op-Ed: Pope leans on wall, spanked by paddle of hypocrisy

By Larry Clifton

Vatican City - By attacking Donald Trump’s personal faith and condemning him for proposing to build a high border fence between the United States and Mexico to halt undocumented immigration into the U.S., Pope Francis has inserted himself into American politics.

Pope Francis says contraception may be used to avoid Zika virus

By Marcus Hondro

In what is likely just the secnd time a Pope has okayed contraceptive use, Pope Francis said artificial contraceptives are acceptable for women threatened by the Zika virus. He made his remark to reporters on Wednesday.

Vatican denies that Pope Francis has small, curable brain tumor

By Phyllis Smith Asinyanbi

Vatican City - An Italian newspaper published a brief report Wednesday, stating that Pope Francis has a brain tumor that requires no surgical treatment. The Vatican strongly denies this and says the pontiff's health is good.

Pope declares Junípero Serra, who enslaved Indians, a saint

By Brett Wilkins

Washington - The Pope's canonization of 18th century Spanish missionary Father Junípero Serra has outraged indigenous Californians, who point to the forced labor, beatings and forced religious conversions of their ancestors as proof that he is no saint.

Op-Ed: From specialty beers to bobble-heads — Here comes the Pope

By Karen Graham

Pope Francis' visit to the United States is not only exciting, but for many, a quick way to make a pile of money. The Pontiff has been vocal in criticizing the "tyranny" of capitalism, but that won't stop the flood of collectibles being sold.

Pope Francis draws crowd during visit to optician for new glasses

By Marcus Hondro

People in Rome, where Vatican City is of course located, are accustomed to seeing the Pope. He does, after all, have a weekly address and is present at other events. But on Tuesday evening some got an extra glimpse of him — buying new glasses.

Former archbishop to stand trial for alleged child sex abuse

By Brett Wilkins

Vatican City - In an unprecedented move, Vatican prosecutors have indicted the Holy See's former ambassador to the Dominican Republic on child sex abuse charges.

Catholic Church and Pope Francis set to take on climate change

By Brian Booker

The Catholic Church is looking to convert the hearts and minds of those who deny climate change, seeking to convince them that the phenomenon is real and a grave threat.

ISIS vows to take down Rome

By Micki Hogan

In the most recent propaganda video released by the militant group ISIS, the terroristic group vows to conquer Rome. Some say it is a blatant attack on Christians.

Op-Ed: Inside the so-called 'International Common Law Court of Justice'

By Ken Hanly

Brussels - The International Common Law Court of Justice(ICLCJ) in Brussels has ruled that Pope Francis, Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Pachon and Justin Welby are guilty of rape, torture, murder and trafficking of children.

Pope Francis completes 5-day visit to Philippines

By Leo Reyes

Moments ago Pope Francis flew out of Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to end his five-day visit to the Philippines that was capped by a holy mass that drew a record crowd at the Rizal Park in Manila Sunday afternoon.

Op-Ed: Pope Francis wrong in saying 'one cannot make fun of faith'

By Calvin Wolf

Though Pope Francis has condemned the terrorist attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which killed twelve innocent people, he has erred terribly by insisting "one cannot make fun of faith." Words do not justify hitting.

Pope Francis starts 5-day visit to Philippines

By Leo Reyes

His Holinesss Pope Francis arrives at the Villamor Air Base in the Philippines moments ago to start his five-day visit to the country which will bring him to the typhoon-devastated city of Tacloban in Central Philippines to meet with typhoon survivors.

Tight security planned for 5-day Papal visit to the Philippines

By Ken Hanly

Manila - On January 15, Pope Francis begins his visit to the Philippines. A huge security operation is planned with an estimated 37,000 police and military personnel deployed to ensure there are no attacks on the Pope.

Filipino traffic enforcers to wear diapers during papal visit

By Ken Hanly

Manila - Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the Philippines next week from January 15 to the 19th. The visit is expected to cause massive traffic jams in Manila, a city where traffic jams are the norm.

Pope Francis declares that animals go to heaven

By JohnThomas Didymus

Rome - Pope Francis declared recently in his regular weekly address at St. Peter's Square that animals go to heaven. He made the statement while trying to comfort a boy who was upset about the death of his pet dog.

Op-Ed: Pope Francis's remarks on evolution go against the Bible

By Zachary Stallings

This week Pope Francis said 'God is not a magician with a wand' saying the theories of evolution are true. But does what the Pope said go against the word of the Bible?

Pope Francis: God is not 'a magician with a magic wand'

By David Silverberg

The theories of evolution are real and God is not “a magician with a magic wand," Pope Francis has declared at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Mosul's Christians ask, 'Where is the conscience of the world?'

By Karen Graham

On Saturday, the Vicar of the only Anglican church in Iraq warned that the end was "very near" for Christians in that country. Mosul is Iraq's second largest city, and six weeks ago, 35,000 Christians lived there. Today, there are no Christians in Mosul.

Op-Ed: Pope Francis going after the mafia could be dangerous

By Ryan Hite

Pope Francis is spending a lot of time going after the powerful Italian mafia, which has a long history with the Catholic Church, but could that cost him more than a few members or dollars?

Pope Francis says about 2% of Catholic priests are paedophiles

By Ryan Hite

Pope Francis is claimed to have said that about 2% of the clergy of the Catholic Church are pedophiles, but some Vatican insiders dispute the authenticity of the interview.

It's Pope versus Pope in the World Cup Final

By Mike Rossi

Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI may play for the same team as Catholics, but they certainly don't cheer for the same team as football fans.

Vatican Bank profits plunge

By Ryan Hite

The controversial Vatican bank has seen its 2013 profit wiped out due to a clean-up process which has seen it end relationships with about 3,000 customers.

Pope Francis begs forgiveness from sex abuse victims

By Ryan Hite

Pope Francis delivered a homily that called for the forgiveness of all sex abuse survivors from clerics in the Catholic Church, but some say it is not enough.

Watchdog group alleges Pope Francis covered up sex abuse

By Eric Morales

Buenos Aires - Pope Francis is accused of looking the other way when sex abuse occurred while he was still the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Pope Francis calls exploitation of nature 'sin of our times'

By Greta McClain

Campobasso - During an address at Italy's University of Molise on Saturday, Pope Francis chastised those who exploit and destroy nature, calling such behavior the "sin of our times".