When Pope Francis visits the Holy Land in two weeks, he will have with him representatives of the Jewish and Muslim faiths. Also taking part in the visit will be Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, though not as part of the official Vatican Delegation. Last week the patriarch announced he would accompany the pope on his ...read more

  Pope Francis met with executives from the United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes on Friday, led by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Speaking to the men and women who manage the UN’s vast network of humanitarian offices, he urged them to challenge “all forms of injustice” and resist the “economy of exclusion”, the “throwaway ...read more

On Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis declared Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II saints. In an unprecedented ceremony, approximately 800,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square, the streets around the Vatican, bridges over the Tiber and many squares in Rome. The ceremony was also attended by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Retired Pope Benedict XVI ...read more

The canonization of popes John XXIII and John Paul II together in one, historic ceremony was a moment of great joy and thanksgiving for the universal Church. But it was also an opportunity to reflect on the history of the past fifty years, namely, the Second Vatican Council and its ongoing implementation. In this extended ...read more

Here below is the full text in English of Pope Francis’ homily at the mass of Canonization of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII: At the heart of this Sunday, which concludes the Octave of Easter and which John Paul II wished to dedicate to Divine Mercy, are the glorious wounds of the risen Jesus. ...read more

Before a crowd of over 150,000 people in St. Peter’s Square this morning, April 20, 2014, Pope Francis celebrated the Mass of Easter Sunday. He did not deliver a homily during mass but gave the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) Message and Blessing to the crowd at the conclusion of ...read more

19 April 2014  –  The Gospel of the resurrection of Jesus Christ begins with the journey of the women to the tomb at dawn on the day after the Sabbath.  They go to the tomb to honour the body of the Lord, but they find it open and empty.  A mighty angel says to them: ...read more

The Church celebrates the Chrism Mass on the threshold of the Sacred Triduum, on the day when, by a supreme priestly act, the Son of God made man offered himself to the Father to redeem all humanity. On Holy Thursday morning at 9:30 Rome time, Pope Francis presided at the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s ...read more

In an unprecedented video message, Pope Francis appealed to the world to put an end to hunger by supporting the Caritas Internationalis campaign, One Human Family Food For All. The campaign headed by Caritas and its member agencies aims to end world hunger by the year 2025. Join host Cheridan Sanders to learn about the ...read more

On Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014, in an unscripted, extremely moving, Ignatian-style homily, Pope Francis invited the crowd of over 100,000 people to enter into today’s passion story from Matthew’s Gospel and ask some very personal questions of our own roles in the Gospel story. Here is the Vatican’s official English translation: CELEBRATION OF PALM ...read more