IMAGE: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Celebrating his 81st birthday, Pope Francis blew out the candles on a 13-foot long pizza after being serenaded with song and dance by children and employees from a Vatican pediatric clinic. A group of children receiving assistance from …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Peter Finney Jr., Clarion Herald By Peter Finney Jr. NEW ORLEANS (CNS) — Inside the parish hall of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in New Orleans, the personal stories flowed as freely as the tears. One by one, descendants of the 272 enslaved men, women and children sold …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Lucy Nicholson, Reuters By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — The wave of accusations of sexual harassment, misconduct and assault from Hollywood to Capitol Hill and many places in between in recent months has been described as a revolution, a moment and a time for national reckoning. The accused …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Natalie Hoefer, The Criterion By Natalie Hoefer WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a new letter to members of Congress, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, outlined a sweeping package of changes in pending tax reform legislation to ensure the final bill is “morally acceptable.” Bishop Dewane, chairman of …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Father Nate Wills By Mary C. Uhler MADISON, Wis. (CNS) — When the Wisconsin Badgers’ football team travels to the Orange Bowl to play Miami Dec. 30, the players will take a 12-1 record with them — one of the best in team history. Accompanying them will be …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters By Dennis Sadowski WASHINGTON (CNS) — In Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, California and Mexico City, recovery was slow and deep pain remained from a string of natural disasters as 2017 ended. Hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes from August through December caused widespread destruction and claimed hundreds …

By Carol Glatz ROME (CNS) — With so much suffering, poverty and exploitation in the world, missionary work must also include reaching out to people whose hearts are closed to receiving immigrants and refugees, Pope Francis told Jesuits in Myanmar. “Unfortunately, in Europe there are countries that have chosen to …

By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — While the thought of receiving a blessing by text from Pope Francis could have millions of mobile users glued to their smartphones, the Vatican spokesman said that isn’t his style. The spokesman, Greg Burke, issued a statement on Twitter Dec. 13 saying …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Just like a plant needs sun and nourishment to survive, every Christian needs the light of Sunday and the sustenance of the Eucharist to truly live, Pope Francis said. “How can we carry out the Gospel without drawing …

By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which mirrored that of the indigenous people of the time, is a sign of Mary’s closeness to those who are marginalized, Pope Francis said. Like St. Juan Diego, who felt of no importance at being …