Pope Francis continued meeting at the Apostolic Nunciature in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on February 1. In his address to representatives of charitable organizations, he spoke about how the representatives embrace and encourage the poor.  Read the full text of the pope’s address below:  Meeting with representatives from charities Address of His Holiness ...read more

At the Apostolic Nunciature in Kinshasa on February 1, Pope Francis heard and responded to the stories of victims of violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He encouraged listeners to “say no to violence” and “no to resignation,” to “demilitarize their hearts,” and “say yes to peace” and “yes ...read more

On Wednesday, February 1, the second day of his visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pope Francis gave the homily at Holy Mass at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa. Read the full text of his homily below:   Homily of His Holiness “Ndolo” Airport (Kinshasa) Wednesday, 1 February 2023   Bandeko, bobóto [Brothers and sisters, ...read more

On January 31, the first day of his apostolic visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Pope Francis gave an address to the president, members of government, diplomatic corps, and religious and civil authorities.  Read the full text of his address below:   Meeting with Authorities and Diplomatic Corps Address of His Holiness ...read more

  Pope Benedict XVI: A Lifelong Commitment to Ecumenism by Sr. Donna Geernaert, SC   One day after his election to the papacy on April 19, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the College of Cardinals. He affirmed his commitment to the ecumenical agenda of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, and identified his primary task ...read more

It was April 11, 2019, in a library at Casa Santa Marta – the Pope’s own home. Selva Kiir, the Catholic president of South Sudan, stood next to Riek Machar, his incoming vice president, as well as other South Sudanese civil leaders. They were surrounded by Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian leaders from their country and ...read more

Pope Francis will visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo next week, landing in the capital Kinshasa on January 31. He plans to go as a “pilgrim of peace” to a country with a long history of conflict, but one in which the Church plays a critical peacebuilding role. To discover more, Marie Anne Torres, ...read more

Read the full text of Pope Francis' homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 55th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2022. ...read more

Gratitude for a generous gift. That is my overwhelming response to the life, ministry, and towering intellect of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Gratitude for this foremost public theologian of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Gratitude for his tireless efforts to communicate the faith of the Church in a world that is forgetting its theological ...read more

On January 5, Pope Francis presided over the funeral Mass of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Square. Read below the full text of the homily he gave on this solemn occasion:   Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis St. Peter’s Square Thursday, 5 January 2023   “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” ...read more