By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — More than 1.5 million people are expected for the Mass with Pope Francis in Philadelphia this September, said organizers of the next World Meeting of Families. A high-level delegation from Philadelphia, led by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, was in Rome as …

By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The deep hurts that spouses inflict on each other cause great suffering to their children and, in some cases, lead to a separation that is “morally necessary” to protect spouses and children from more serious forms of violence, Pope Francis said …

By Laura Ieraci Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — It took place in silence and lasted only a few minutes, but Pope Francis’ time of prayer and contemplation before the Shroud of Turin was marked with gestures of reverence and tenderness. Revered by many as the burial cloth of Jesus, …

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — Pope Francis speaks with a pastor’s voice and with deep respect for science in calling the world to address threats to all life on earth through environmental degradation and the mindset of a “throwaway culture” in his encyclical, said the president of the …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph Today marked the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si, or Praised Be to You. The encyclical deals extensively with environmental issues. While The Catholic Telegraph and many world media organizations were just getting a chance to digest the nearly 200-page document, Tony Stieritz, Director …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.” All who believe …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Focusing on poverty and sacrificing for the poor are the heart of the Gospel, not signs of communism, Pope Francis said at his morning Mass. Furthermore, if Christians don’t dig deep and generously open up their wallets, they do not have “genuine faith,” …

CNA/EWTN News The value and beauty of marriage, based on the complementarity of man and woman, is lamentably being challenged by “gender ideology,” Pope Francis warned the bishops of Puerto Rico on Monday. “The complementarity of man and woman, the crown of the divine creation, is being questioned by gender …

Staff Report Father Jeff Scheeler, provincial minister for the Franciscan Friars headquartered in Cincinnati, was one of more than 150 leaders of the Orders of Friars Minor who gathered in Assisi, Italy in May for the order’s month-long general chapter. Many of the leaders took time out to visit Rome and …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment will be titled “Laudato Sii” (Praised Be), a line from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of Creatures,” and will be released June 16, said the head of the Vatican publishing house. Salesian Father Giuseppe Costa, …