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

Today on Perspectives, Pope Francis’ sermon from daily mass and his condolences for victims in L’Isle-Verte, officials from the University of Notre Dame visit the Vatican, Ottawa holds a multilingual mass and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has a new smart phone app. ...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

Who doesn’t like a good old fashioned public debate? The prospect of two sides of a contentious issue going toe-to-toe in a public forum…exciting! Besides the inherent drama, public debates are useful because they clarify the basis of our own beliefs while allowing for a deeper understanding of what others believe. It’s a great way ...read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Has Christ been divided? (1 Cor 1:13). The urgent appeal which Saint Paul makes at the beginning of his First Letter to the Corinthians, and which has been proclaimed at this evening?s liturgy, was chosen by a group of our fellow Christians in Canada as the theme for our meditation during this ...read more

This week the Vatican was involved in two high level, international meetings: the meeting of the World Economic Forum and the Geneva II peace conference for Syria. The Vatican also caught international attention because of one guest coming to visit: French President Francois Hollande. While many speculated that perhaps Pope Francis would have words of ...read more

CNS Photo: Pope Francis meets with Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, during a private audience in the pontiff’s library at the Vatican May 10, 2013 By Sebastian Gomes Last week I was at a parish in Vancouver giving a talk on Pope John XXIII in preparation for his canonization ...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