Latest Pope Francis News
Pope suggests blessings for same-sex unions possible in response to 5 conservative cardinals
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has suggested there could be ways to bless same-sex unions, responding to five conservative cardinals who challenged him to affirm church teaching on homosexuality ahead of a big meeting where LGBTQ+ Catholics are on the agenda. The Vatican on...
Clergy abuse survivors propose new 'zero tolerance' law following outcry over Vatican appointment
ROME (AP) — Clergy sexual abuse survivors on Monday unveiled a proposed new church law calling for the permanent removal of abusive priests and superiors who covered for them, as they stepped up their outrage over Pope Francis’ choice to head the Vatican office that investigates sex crimes. ...
Women's voices and votes loom large as pope is set to open a Vatican meeting on church's future
VATICAN CITY (AP) — A few years ago, Pope Francis told the head of the main Vatican-backed Catholic women's organization to be “brave” in pushing for change for women in the Catholic Church. Maria Lia Zervino took his advice and in 2021 wrote Francis a letter, then made it...
Pope Francis creates 21 new cardinals who will help him to reform the church and cement his legacy
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals at a ritual-filled ceremony Saturday, including key figures at the Vatican and in the field who will help enact his reforms and cement his legacy as he enters a crucial new phase in running the Catholic Church. On a crisp...
AP Week in Pictures: Europe and Africa
Sept. 22 – Sept. 29 Destroyed houses and armored vehicles stand on the road of Klishchiivka, a recently liberated Ukrainian village on the outskirts of Bakhmut that has been turned into a pile of rubble after months of fierce fighting. Pope Francis holds a mass for...
Pope blames weapons industry for Russia-Ukraine war and 'martyrdom' of Ukrainian people
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis on Saturday labeled the weapons industry as being a key driver of the “martyrdom” of Ukraine’s people in Russia’s war, saying even the withholding of weapons now is going to continue their misery. Francis appeared to refer to...
Ideological rifts among U.S. bishops are in the spotlight ahead of momentous Vatican meeting
NEW YORK (AP) — Early next month, the Vatican will open an unprecedented gathering of Catholic clergy and laypeople from around the world. The synod is intended to be a collegial, collaborative event, though the agenda includes divisive issues such as the role of women in the church and the...
Pope Francis insists Europe doesn't have a migrant emergency and challenges countries to open ports
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Pope Francis challenged French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders to open their ports to people fleeing hardship and poverty, insisting Saturday that the continent isn't facing a migration “emergency” but rather a long-term reality that governments...
Pope decries indifference toward migrants, as he prays for the dead in the French port of Marseille
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Pope Francis blasted the “fanaticism of indifference” that greets migrants seeking a better life in Europe, as he arrived Friday in the Mediterranean port of Marseille amid a new influx of would-be refugees from Africa that has sparked a backlash from some of...
Catholic priests bless same-sex couples in defiance of a German archbishop
BERLIN (AP) — Several Catholic priests held a ceremony blessing same-sex couples outside Cologne Cathedral on Wednesday night in a protest against the city’s conservative archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. Their protest was triggered by Cologne church officials' criticism...
