Five years a pope: Francis’ focus has been on outreach
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope just a few days after telling the College of Cardinals that the Catholic Church faced a clear choice between being a church that “goes out” or a church focused on its internal affairs. …
Wonder and wit: Five years of Pope Francis’ unique turns of phrase
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A native-Spanish speaker who grew up with Italian-speaking relatives in Argentina, Pope Francis has a striking way with words. Bringing a background in literary themes and devices with him to the papacy five years ago, the pope has shown himself …
A small sampler of Pope Francis quotes
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his formal documents, many speeches and unscripted morning homilies the past five years, Pope Francis has given the church plenty of “food for thought” on many issues of great importance. Here are a baker’s dozen of quotes from the …
Stuff Luke Carey Found: The Threshold Podcast
“Let’s violate a cultural norm. In a time when religious conversations can seem tense or even taboo, we sit down with a different guest each week to talk about their faith (or disbelief), what shaped it, and why it matters.” — The Threshold So begins the ‘About’ section of The …
Retired pope says criticism against Pope Francis is ‘foolish prejudice’
IMAGE: CNS/Vatican Media By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — On the eve of the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ election, retired Pope Benedict XVI defended the continuity of the church’s teaching under his successor and dismissed those who criticize the pope’s theological foundations. In a letter sent to …
Haitian immigrant back home working for CRS says faith gives her hope
IMAGE: CNS photo/Denis Grasska, The Southern Cross By Denis Grasska SAN DIEGO (CNS) — When Cassandra Bissainthe left Haiti for the United States some 17 years ago, it seemed unlikely that she would ever return. Political instability and economic insecurity were rampant in her homeland, and extreme poverty had driven …
Christian activists warn of slaughter of Syrian civilians in Afrin
IMAGE: CNS photo/Khalil Ashawi, Reuters By Dale Gavlak AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) — Christian activists warn that 1 million Syrian civilians will face certain slaughter in northwestern Afrin, where they allege Turkey and its militant allies have already carried out “war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing.” They have appealed to U.S. President …
Nicholas Hardesty for March: Three easy ways to defend the Resurrection
Although we are still focused on the season of Lent, Easter will be here soon. You know what that means: it’s “open season” on the Resurrection. The History Channel will reveal a “secret Gospel” that contradicts Jesus’ rising from the dead. Atheists on Facebook will start posting memes about “Zombie …
A Picture Says a Thousand Words: Bockfest Mass
Old St. Mary’s Church gives the neighborhood’s annual Bockfest some needed gravitas. An irreverent celebration of craft beer and German heritage, the festival gives more than a nod to the neighborhood’s past as a German Catholic enclave, as well as to the ongoing presence of Franciscan friars. But as the country’s only …
Confessors should seek to bring penitents closer to Jesus, pope says
By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A good confessor is a good listener, Pope Francis said. By truly listening to the penitent during confession, “we listen to Jesus himself, poor and humble; by listening to the Holy Spirit, we put ourselves in attentive obedience, becoming listeners of the Word” …