By Lise Alves Catholic News Service SAO PAULO (CNS) — Cardinal-designate Orani Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro said he was surprised that Pope Francis named him a cardinal, but friends and thousands of Brazilian Catholics saw it coming. At the end of World Youth Day in July in Rio de Janeiro, several Brazilian newspapers and ...read more

This week Pope Francis released two special messages: his message for Lent, and a message for World Youth Day. Lent begins on March 5 this year and World Youth Day will be celebrated at the diocesan level on April 13, which is also Palm Sunday. The full text of the Pope’s Lenten message is published ...read more

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Archbishop Gualtiero Bassetti said a parishioner told him he’d been named a cardinal by Pope Francis, and “my jaw dropped” when he found out it was true. The 71-year-old archbishop of Perugia-Citta della Pieve and president of the bishops’ conference of Umbria in central Italy ...read more

Vatican City, 6 February 2014 (VIS) – We publish below the full text of the message the Holy Father has sent to the young people preparing for the 29th World Youth Day 2014, which will take as its theme: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Dear Young Friends, ...read more

By Ezra Fieser Catholic News Service SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CNS) — Haiti’s new cardinal is known as a tireless worker, an advocate for the people and someone who never forgot his impoverished childhood. Pope Francis named the first Haitian cardinal Jan. 12 when he selected Bishop Chibly Langlois of Les Cayes, 55, president of ...read more

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

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

Pope Francis released the following message for the 48th World Communication Day. The message was released by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications on the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists. World Communications Day takes place June 1, 2014. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today we are living in a world which ...read more

Tonight on  Perspectives The March for life happens in Washington And we take a look at today’s general audience ...read more

Pope Francis’ message to the World Economic Forum gathered at Davos, Switzerland was not the first time a pope has spoken about economic issues. It was, however the first time such a message was read out loud directly to participants at a high level economic forum. Media coverage has been equally unprecedented. One unique feature ...read more