Away from the limelight, Pope Francis spent one Friday a month, over the course of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, putting into practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Locations were never announced beforehand and so in the past year, he surprised the sick and the elderly, retired priests, women who have been abused, ...read more

Misericordia et misera FRANCIS TO ALL WHO READ THIS APOSTOLIC LETTER MERCY AND PEACE Misericordia et misera is a phrase used by Saint Augustine in recounting the story of Jesus’ meeting with the woman taken in adultery (cf. Jn 8:1-11). It would be difficult to imagine a more beautiful or apt way of expressing the mystery ...read more

At 10:00 this morning, the Solemnity of Christ the King, in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis celebrated the closing Mass of the Holy Year of Mercy, with the new Cardinals, with the College of Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Priests. At the beginning of Mass, the Holy Father led the Rite of closing of the Holy ...read more

This information is provided courtesy of the Holy See Press Office. List of Cardinals in alphabetical order. List of Cardinals in order of Age. List of Cardinals according to Nations and in order of Age. Graph: Distribution of Cardinal electors and non-electors. Graph: Distribution of Cardinals according to role. Composition of Cardinals according to geographical ...read more

The Gospel passage we have just heard (cf. Lk 6:27-36) is often referred to as the “Sermon on the Plain”. After choosing the Twelve, Jesus came down with his disciples to a great multitude of people who were waiting to hear him and to be healed. The call of the Apostles is linked to this ...read more

Last Tuesday Pope Francis sent a message to participants of the COP22 Climate Change meeting taking place in Marrakech, Morocco. In the text, the Holy Father recalled that the Paris Agreement has set out a clear path requiring the collaboration of all the international community, and he quoted extensively from his encyclical Laudato si’, exhorting the promotion ...read more

November 13, 2016 St. Peter’s Basilica For you… the sun of justice shall rise, with healing in its wings” (Mal 4:2). The words of the Prophet Malachi, which we heard in the first reading, shed light on today’s Jubilee. They come to us from the last page of the last Old Testament prophet. They are ...read more

There are only ten days left before the conclusion of this Year of Mercy. On November 20th, the last Sunday of the liturgical year and the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Pope Francis will close the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica. This Sunday, November 13, all the other Holy Doors across ...read more

Pope Francis on Sunday celebrated Mass for the Jubilee of Prisoners in St Peter’s Basilica, telling those present, “by learning from past mistakes, you can open a new chapter of your lives.” Below, find the full text of his address: The message that God’s word wants to bring us today is surely that of hope. ...read more

On his return trip from Sweden last Tuesday, Pope Francis spoke with the journalists on the flight answering their questions about a range of topics including welcoming refugees, female priests, secularization and his meetings with Venezuela’s President. Commenting on the new direction of Sweden to close its borders to refugees, the Pope stressed the clear difference between the ...read more