By Elizabeth Fisher Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA  — Marita Thomas was among those in the crowd at the Festival of Families Sept. 26 who were moved to tears as they listened to families selected to come onstage to tell Pope Francis how they coped with hardship by clinging to God. …

By Kate Turgeon Watson Catholic News Service RALEIGH, N.C. — The Walker family filed through the side entrance of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh. A bag on her shoulder and a 3-year-old on her hip, mom Noel Zemborain smiled. A pack at his waist, dad Catire Walker held the door …

Staff Report The Archdiocese of Cincinnati was well represented at events surrounding Pope Francis’ historic visit to the United States last week. The Catholic Telegraph will be unpacking Pope Francis’ journey over the next few weeks, but included below is a glance at some of the members of this archdiocese …

By David Agren Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis ended his trip to the United States with a call for Catholics to keep the enthusiasm of the visit, while continuing to welcome newcomers and care for creation. “Do not let your enthusiasm for Jesus, his church, our families, and …

By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — Irish pilgrims in Philadelphia shared their excitement after Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, announced the 2018 World Meeting of Families would be held in Dublin. Irish pilgrim Mary Fitzgibbon’s reaction was raw when she spoke with …

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — Among the pilgrims gathered for Pope Francis’ Mass on Benjamin Franklin Parkway Sept. 27 was Nga Bich Tham, who was wearing a traditional hat of her native Vietnam. The hat bore the words, “I came here for Jesus and Pope Francis.” “I …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis speaks often about memory and motion, the importance of remembering where you came from and setting off without fear to share the Gospel. That’s what he did in the United States. He circled the Statue of Liberty in a helicopter …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA — As the American Airlines plane taking him to Rome from Philadelphia took off, Pope Francis said he pictured the faces of all the people he met, and he prayed for them. At the end of his first-ever …

By Menachem Wecker For The Catholic Telegraph Washington, D.C. — Two months ago, Benjamin Garcia, a Chilean native studying to become a priest at Catholic University of America, learned he’d play a role in Pope Francis’ Sept. 23 canonization of Junipero Serra at the Basilica of the National Shrine of …

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis urged the hundreds of thousands of people gathered for the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families to serve and care for each other as freely as God loves the human family. The pope called upon the faithful to …