Pope Francis

Pope calls pastors to be ‘missionaries of synodality’

By Cindy Wooden and Carol Glatz

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis signed a letter on synodality in the presence of parish priests and urged them to be “missionaries of synodality,” said several of the priests present. Father Donald J. Planty Jr., pastor of St. Charles Church in Arlington, and one of the U.S. pastors at the meeting, said, “He told us, …

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5/4/24

Reading Time 3 min

Pope asks Catholic groups to help young people learn a trade, get a job

By Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY — As young people across the globe feel increasingly adrift and overlooked, Catholic religious orders and agencies must redouble their efforts to help young people stay in school, learn a trade and find a decent job, Pope Francis said. “Those who feel discarded can end up in forms of social disadvantage that are …

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5/3/24

Reading Time 3 min

Jordan’s king promises pope Christian holy sites will be protected

By Justin McLellan

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis received assurances from Jordan’s King Abdullah II that Christian and Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem will be protected amid the Israel-Hamas war. The pope met with the king of Jordan — the Middle Eastern country that has the longest border with Israel — for 20 minutes at the Vatican May …

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5/3/24

Reading Time 2 min

Religious formation must also be human, ongoing, pope says

By Justin McLellan

VATICAN CITY — Seminarians and religious men and women need well-rounded formation throughout their lives, not only at the onset of their religious training, Pope Francis said. In his prayer intention for the month of May, released April 30 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, the pope described each vocation as a “diamond in the …

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5/1/24

Reading Time 1 min