After a US neurologist determined that an experimental therapy could no longer potentially be of aid to a British baby born with a disabling medical condition, his parents have given up a legal challenge to take him to the US for the treatment. British and European courts had sided with English hospital officials who sought
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Fr. Pierangelo Pietracatella and Fr. Hans-Peter Fischer are the newest members of the Roman Rota, and mark the latest in a string of appointments Pope Francis has made this summer as part of his ongoing effort to restructure the Roman Curia. Hailing from the northern Italian diocese of Toronta, Fr. Pietracatella, a member of the
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Maximiliano Acuña is a garbage collector in Buenos Aires who earlier this year was injured in a serious accident that left him without legs. On Tuesday, he was surprised to receive an unexpected phone call from Pope Francis. The Pope offered words of encouragement, 33-year-old Acuña told the Argentine Morfi Television program. On March 22,
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On Sunday, Pope Francis said that in the parable of the seed and the sower Jesus invites us to reclaim the ‘soil’ of our hearts by bringing to him, in prayer and Confession, the stones and thorns in need of healing. “Jesus invites us today to look inward: to give thanks for our good ground
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Pope Francis Friday sent a message to an international congress on care for our common home in the context of large cities, reminding participants that caring for the environment ultimately means having responsibility for our fellow man. “We see an indifference to our common home and, unfortunately, to so many tragedies and needs that hit
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Shortly after Pope Francis donated money to help those suffering from Ukraine’s ongoing conflict, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri arrived in the country, saying that while pained, he sees hope for the future. In comments to local Catholic media after landing in Ukraine July 11, Cardinal Sandri recalled that when he made his first trip to the
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Pope Francis cannot change Church teaching on contraception, despite the hopes of Melinda Gates. In a recent BBC interview, Gates has said she is “optimistic” that the Catholic Church will change church teaching on contraception in order to help women in developing countries. “We work very extensively with the Catholic Church and I’ve had many
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On Tuesday Pope Francis declared a new category of Christian life suitable for consideration of beatification called “offering of life” – in which a person has died prematurely through an offering of their life for love of God and neighbor. Though similar to martyrdom, this definition fits those Servants of God who have in some
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In a new letter to bishops, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments denounced abuses against the Eucharist and “lack of respect in the sacred sphere,” and reiterated existing norms regarding the Eucharist at Mass. The letter, issued at the request of Pope Francis, reminds bishops of the norms concerning the
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Pope Francis sent a message to leaders of the world’s economy gathered for the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, reminding them of the responsibility they have to care for those not represented at the summit. The G20 Summit is annual meeting of heads of state and finance from the leaders of the world’s economy. While
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