pontiff

18 Stories

Francis Kicks Off Longest Trip of His Papacy

Pope touches down in Indonesia first to start longest journey of his papacy

(Newser) - Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday at the start of the longest trip of his pontificate, hoping to encourage its Catholic community and celebrate the tradition of interfaith harmony in a country with the world's largest Muslim population. After an overnight flight from Rome, Francis was wheeled off...

Francis Raises Red Flag on Artificial Intelligence

Pope says human dignity should come first when dealing with AI

(Newser) - Pope Francis challenged leaders of the world's wealthy democracies on Friday to keep human dignity foremost in developing and using artificial intelligence, warning that such powerful technology risks turning human relations themselves into mere algorithms. Francis brought his moral authority to bear on the Group of Seven, invited by...

Chris Rock, Conan O'Brien, and the Pope Walk Into a Bar...

Or rather, the Vatican, as pontiff hosts 100-plus comedians to celebrate the importance of humor

(Newser) - Before flying to Italy's southern Puglia region to meet world leaders at the Group of Seven summit, Pope Francis hosted a very different audience at the Vatican on Friday to celebrate the importance of humor. The pontiff welcomed more than 100 comedians from 15 nations, including US celebrities Whoopi...

Bishops 'Shocked' at Word the Pope Used in a Meeting

Francis has apologized for using gay slur during private debate on gay individuals becoming priests

(Newser) - Pope Francis has been more publicly welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community than his predecessors, but according to Italian media, his language behind closed doors caused a stir that has the pontiff apologizing. Reuters cites newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere Della Sera in reporting that the 87-year-old pope used a slur...

Pope Francis Goes Under the Knife
Pope Francis'
Surgery Was
Successful
UPDATED
Jun 7, 2023 5:25 PM CDT

Pope Francis' Surgery Was Successful

Surgeon says Francis cracked joke afterward

(Newser) - Pope Francis underwent successful surgery Wednesday to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall. The Vatican said there were no complications during the three-hour surgery, which required the 86-year-old to be under general anesthesia, the AP reports. The pontiff is expected to remain at Rome’...

Pope Approves 'Significant Crack in Stained-Glass Ceiling'

Women will have the right to vote at an upcoming meeting of bishops

(Newser) - Pope Francis has decided to give women the right to vote at an upcoming meeting of bishops, and the AP reports that's a historic reform that reflects his hopes to give women greater decision-making responsibilities and laypeople more say in the life of the Catholic Church. Francis approved changes...

Pope Leaves Hospital, Gets Cheeky With Reporters

'I'm still alive,' Francis quipped before heading to Vatican after his bout with bronchitis

(Newser) - Pope Francis was discharged on Saturday from the Rome hospital where he was treated for bronchitis, quipping to journalists before being driven away in a white Fiat 500: "I'm still alive." Francis, 86, was hospitalized on Wednesday at Gemelli Polyclinic after reportedly having breathing difficulties following his...

'We Still Call Him Georgio'
'We Still Call Him Giorgio'
the rundown
Mar 13, 2023 11:34 AM CDT

'We Still Call Him Giorgio'

Pope Francis quietly celebrates a 10-year milestone

(Newser) - It's been 10 years since a guy named Jorge Bergoglio became the leader of 1.3 billion Catholics, with the white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel to signal that a new pope—the first from Latin America—had been selected. The then-76-year-old Pope Francis was seen as an...

Pope Ushers in New Year With a Shoutout to Moms

Francis praises women for their role as peacemakers around the world

(Newser) - Pope Francis ushered in the new year on Saturday by praising the skills women bring to promoting peace in the world, and he equated violence against women to an offense against God. The Roman Catholic Church marks Jan. 1 as a day dedicated to world peace, and a late-morning Mass...

Pope Has 'Painful' Reason for Skipping New Year's Events

Francis' back pain due to sciatica will cause him to miss ceremonies

(Newser) - Pope Francis is skipping ceremonies on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day due to what the Vatican says is a painful back condition, a spokesman said Thursday. Matteo Bruni said Francis is suffering from "painful sciatica" and won't preside at a year-end prayer service Thursday...

Pope's First Tweet: 'I Bless All of You'

Pontiff uses personal Twitter account for first time

(Newser) - As promised , @Pontifex —otherwise known as Pope Benedict XVI—started tweeting today. The pope's first tweet from his personal account was a blessing, USA Today reports. He followed that up by answering a question, one of many posed to him since his Twitter account was announced using...

Pope John Paul II Beatification: He's No Saint, Says Maureen Dowd
 John Paul 
 Is No Saint 
Maureen Dowd
Apr 24, 2011 3:28 PM CDT

John Paul Is No Saint

Remember that whole pedophilia scandal he ignored?

(Newser) - On this Easter, Maureen Dowd turns to another resurrection of sorts next Sunday: The beatification of Pope John Paul II, or "PR boost" that Pope Benedict hopes to get from the "swiftest ascension toward sainthood on record." And while there was much to love about the "...

Pope John Paul Gets Own Facebook Page
 John Paul Hits Facebook 
Mar 12, 2011 7:37 AM CST

John Paul Hits Facebook

Part of Vatican's social-networking push

(Newser) - Sure, Pope John Paul II is set to be beatified, but now he's even on Facebook. The Vatican, continuing its efforts to get hip with the kids, is unveiling a Facebook page to hype the late pope's May 1 beatification, featuring video highlights of his 27 years as pontiff. The...

2 Teens Die in Pope Stampede
 2 Teens Die in Pope Stampede 
Mar 22, 2009 7:29 AM CDT

2 Teens Die in Pope Stampede

(Newser) - Two teenage girls were killed in a wild stampede as people rushed to view Pope Benedict in Angola yesterday, reports the Times of London. Some 30,000 people raced into a stadium where the pope spoke at a youth rally. The teenagers died at the scene and dozens were injured....

Let's Impeach the Pope
 Let's Impeach the Pope 
opinion
Mar 18, 2009 5:09 PM CDT

Let's Impeach the Pope

(Newser) - In his short reign, Pope Benedict has managed to insult Muslims, women, and Holocaust survivors, writes Robert S. McElvaine, a professor at Millsaps College in Mississippi. But his latest controversy, telling Africans that condoms increase the spread of AIDS, is the last straw. "I am a Catholic and the...

Argentina to Holocaust Denier: Get Out

(Newser) - Maybe the Vatican has an extra room. Argentina today ordered the Holocaust-denying Catholic bishop to leave the country in 10 days, the Times of London reports. Bishop Richard Williamson triggered an international outcry when he made his claims about the Holocaust in a TV interview, then got accepted back into...

Pope to Launch Bible Marathon for TV, Internet

Pontiff will lead off six-day reading fest in the fall

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI may not have the media cache of his predecessor, but he's working on it. The pontiff will kick off a six-day Bible-reading marathon that will be broadcast live on Italian television and the Internet this fall. The Guardian reports the pope will read aloud the first chapter...

Benedict Plans to Meet With Muslim Leaders

'Historic' spring summit seeks to mend rift after 2006 controversy

(Newser) - Catholic and Muslim leaders plan a "historic" meeting at the Vatican this spring, reports the AP, a year and a half after Pope Benedict's controversial comments about the Prophet Muhammad. Benedict proposed the meeting in response to an open letter from 138 Muslim scholars that urged interfaith dialogue based...

18 Stories
Most Read on Newser