The week started off with a shocking theft, the recovery of the stolen item (in multiple installments) the announcement of a new book that is already getting a mixed reception, an audience with an American University, the announcement that several people are moving closer to sainthood….and it closed with the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of ...read more

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his dual roles as coordinator of the Roman Curia and chief Vatican diplomat, Cardinal-designate Pietro Parolin has said he hopes to imitate the joy and the simplicity with which Pope Francis has carried out his ministry. The pope announced Jan. 12 that Archbishop Parolin, ...read more

By David Agren Catholic News Service MEXICO CITY (CNS) — Since being named archbishop of Buenos Aires in March, Cardinal-designate Mario Aurelio Poli has shown similarities in the pastoral approach of his predecessor, Pope Francis. “He’s a lower-profile person, he listens a lot, talks little and is very friendly,” said Jose Maria Poirier, director of ...read more

  By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Archbishop Gerhard L. Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was the first Vatican official formally confirmed in his post by Pope Francis and will be among the first 19 men the pope inducts into the College of Cardinals. Pope ...read more

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Even though Cardinal-designate Lorenzo Baldisseri will be elevated to the College of Cardinals during a formal ceremony Feb. 22, he already has a red cap from the pope. When then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected pontiff March 13 by his fellow cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, ...read more

Sister Marianne Cope (formerly Barbara Koob) was born January 23, 1838 and baptized the following day in what is now Hessen, West Germany. The young Sister Marianne worked as a teacher and hospital administrator in New York. In 1870, she was elected superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. Seven years later she became second ...read more

Who doesn’t know the familiar song by John Lennon? Toronto is hit by an ice storm, over 600.000 households without power, large branches cover the streets and live cables are hanging loose, but in our hearts we’re confident that power will be restored soon enough, and Christmas is still some days away; no reason to ...read more

Pope Francis’s appointment of Father Riesbeck as my auxiliary bishop brings me great joy! I am pleased that his many talents will assist me in serving the needs of our English-speaking, francophone and other linguistic and cultural parishes. His community, the Companions of the Cross, has a gift for evangelization so I know Bishop-elect Christian ...read more

First I want to express how deeply humbled I am at the trust and confidence the Lord has placed in me. I express my gratitude and devotion to Pope Francis who has chosen me for this role and to His Grace, Archbishop Prendergast for his constant support and encouragement. I feel that this is also ...read more

I don’t know about you, but I stopped making resolutions for the New Year, years ago. It’s not that I wasn’t keeping my resolutions (well… sometimes) but that it all seemed so arbitrary. We should always be trying to improve, no? So why only do it at the end of the year? It’s sort of ...read more