By Courtney Mares Rome Newsroom, Jun 27, 2025 / 04:00 am Pope Francis’ 2024 encyclical on the Sacred Heart of Jesus is packed with testimonies from the saints of prayer and devotion to the heart of Christ throughout the centuries. Dilexit Nos, meaning “He Loved Us,” describes how devotion to the …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Jun 24, 2025 / 13:47 pm More than 2,500 seminarians from 57 countries converged on Rome this week to pray at the tomb of St. Peter, receive a blessing from Pope Leo XIV, and celebrate their vocations in the Jubilee of Seminarians. “Thank you for courageously …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, May 9, 2025 / 18:28 pm Americans gathered in St. Peter’s Square on May 8 to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States. Born Robert Francis Prevost on Chicago’s South Side, the 69-year-old Augustinian friar was chosen by the …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 30, 2025 / 09:23 am The College of Cardinals on Wednesday called on Catholics around the world to pray for them as they prepare to enter the conclave next week to elect the next pope, acknowledging the “enormity of the task ahead” in choosing the …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 08:00 am The unexpected death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21, postponed the much-anticipated canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager who captivated a generation of young Catholics with his love of the Eucharist and passion for technology. Now, as …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 05:03 am More than 400,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday as the world said goodbye to the first Latin American pope who led the Catholic Church for the past 12 years. Under the bright Roman …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 08:20 am The Vatican announced Monday that the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis has been postponed following the death of Pope Francis. “Following the death of Supreme Pontiff Francis, notice is hereby given that the Eucharistic celebration and Rite of Canonization of …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 14, 2025 / 10:30 am Pope Francis on Monday declared Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí “venerable,” bringing the designer of Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica one step closer to sainthood. The Vatican announced April 14 that Pope Francis has formally recognized Gaudí’s “heroic virtue,” a key …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 8, 2025 / 09:40 am Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Bruce Lewandowski as the new head of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, the Vatican announced Tuesday. Lewandowski, 57, currently serves as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He will be installed in …

By Courtney Mares Rome Newsroom, Mar 19, 2025 / 04:00 am The proclamation of the Year of St. Joseph by Pope Francis in December 2020 coincided with the 150th anniversary of the saint’s proclamation as patron of the universal Church by Blessed Pius IX on Dec. 8, 1870. “Jesus Christ Our …