By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Governments work best when they are secular, not confessional, but they must give ample space for people to express their religious beliefs, including by respecting the right of conscientious objection, Pope Francis told the French Catholic newspaper La Croix. While legislatures must “discuss, …

By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Those who seek only power and greatness, especially within the church, follow a different path than Jesus, who told his disciples to serve and not to be served, Pope Francis said in a morning homily. Preaching May 17 during Mass in his …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Robert M. Longo By Ed Wilkinson BROOKLYN, N.Y. (CNS) — Pope Francis has rebranded the Catholic Church and the papacy, and the media have taken notice. That was the message delivered by Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, who delivered the keynote address May 11 at the Brooklyn Diocese’s observance …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Barbara Johnston, University of Notre Dame By Ann Carey NOTRE DAME, Ind. (CNS) — The University of Notre Dame conferred it prestigious Laetare Medal on Vice President Joe Biden and former House Speaker John Boehner without incident at graduation May 15, but the controversy over the recipients still …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Alessaandro Bianchi, Reuters) By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — True piety and evangelical pity are found together in those who are moved by the pain of others, take action to help them and, therefore, share God’s mercy, Pope Francis said. “We are called to cultivate attitudes of …

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court May 16 sent the Zubick v. Burwell case, which challenges the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive requirement for employers, back to the lower courts. The justices’ unanimous decision, explained in a nine-page order, was based on the information that both sides submitted a week …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis “did not say he intends to introduce a diaconal ordination for women,” and he certainly did not speak about the ordination of women priests, the Vatican spokesman said. Pope Francis met members of the International Union of Superiors …

IMAGE: CNS/EPA By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As the Year of Mercy continues, Pope Francis has a full calendar of jubilee events and special Masses with priests, the sick and people who regularly perform the corporal works of mercy. The calendar of papal liturgies in June, July and …

IMAGE: CNS/L’Osservatore Romano By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — An economic vision geared solely toward profit and material well-being has led to an economy of exclusion and inequality that has increased poverty and the number of people discarded “as unproductive and useless,” Pope Francis said. The impact is …

Yesterday Pope Francis raised eyebrows around the world after declaring his openness to establishing a commission to study the female deaconate, but a careful look at his full response is less of a shocker, and points to nothing new. In fact, in addition to giving a brief summary of a …