pope

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Nearly Half of Small Nation Showed Up for Pope

About 600K faithful converged on park in East Timor to hear Francis speak

(Newser) - An estimated 600,000 people—nearly half of East Timor's population—packed a seaside park Tuesday for Pope Francis' final Mass, held on the same field where St. John Paul II prayed 35 years ago during the nation's fight for independence from Indonesia. The remarkable turnout was a...

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...

Archbishop Excommunicated for the 'Crime of Schism'

In rare move, Vatican boots Carlo Maria Vigano for not recognizing Pope Francis, among other things

(Newser) - Carlo Maria Vigano used to be the Vatican's envoy to the United States. Today, he's a former archbishop, excommunicated on Friday in a rare move by the Holy See for refusing to recognize Pope Francis, among other things, per the Washington Post . On June 20, Vigano announced he'...

Russia Releases 10 Ukrainians Stuck Behind Bars for Years

After an intervention from Pope Francis

(Newser) - Ten Ukrainian civilians held prisoner for years by Russia arrived in Kyiv overnight Saturday after mediation via the Vatican, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said. They were freed Friday, per the AP . Some had been captured years before Russia's full-scale invasion. The pope has said the Holy See has been...

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...

Pope Raises Eyebrows Over Alleged Remark on Women

Days after a reported gay slur, Francis is alleged to have called gossip a 'woman's thing'

(Newser) - Just days after Pope Francis apologized for a gay slur he's said to have used during a private bishops meeting, an allegation of another eyebrow-raising comment. The Guardian reports that the 87-year-old pontiff had another closed-door gathering in Rome on Thursday, this time with a group of young priests,...

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...

Ukraine Responds to Pope's 'White Flag' Remarks

Zelensky, foreign minister, others don't seem inclined to surrender to Russia anytime soon

(Newser) - Allies of Ukraine have been expressing their dismay at recently aired comments made by Pope Francis last month, in which he said Ukraine should have the "courage" to send up the "white flag" in its war with Russia, implying Ukraine should surrender. Now, a slew of Ukrainian officials...

Francis Struggles Getting Into Popemobile

Mobility, respiratory issues continue to plague the 87-year-old pontiff

(Newser) - Pope Francis again asked an aide to read his remarks and was unable to get back into his popemobile on Wednesday, as lingering respiratory and mobility problems continued to take their toll on the 87-year-old pontiff. Francis presided over his weekly general audience, held outside for the first time this...

He Kept Vatican's Secrets for 45 Years. Now He's Retiring

Retiring prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archive reveals how US funds paid for 1922 peculiar conclave

(Newser) - The Vatican has been trying for years to debunk the idea that its vaunted secret archives are all that secret: It has opened up the files of controversial World War II-era Pope Pius XII to scholars and changed the official name to remove the word "Secret" from its title....

After Pope's Public Comments, Nicaragua Frees Jailed Bishop

Along with 18 other clergy members

(Newser) - Nicaragua's government released a prominent Catholic bishop and 18 other clergy members imprisoned in a crackdown by President Daniel Ortega and handed them over to Vatican authorities, who welcomed them in Rome on Sunday. Bishop Rolando Alvarez—described by the New York Times as "one of the most...

Pope Wants a Universal Ban on 'Despicable' Practice

Francis puts surrogate motherhood on blast

(Newser) - Pope Francis called Monday for a universal ban on what he called the "despicable" practice of surrogate motherhood, as he included the "commercialization" of pregnancy in an annual speech listing threats to global peace and human dignity. In a foreign policy address to ambassadors accredited to the Holy...

Pope: Priests Can Bless Same-Sex Couples

Those seeking God's love and mercy shouldn't be subject to 'exhaustive moral analysis' to get it

(Newser) - If same-sex couples go to their priest looking for a blessing, Pope Francis is cool with it. This news comes via a new document approving a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God's love and mercy shouldn't be subject to "an exhaustive moral...

Pope's Top Critic Is About to Have to Find New Digs

Pontiff has apparently had it with Cardinal Raymond Burke

(Newser) - Cardinal Raymond Burke , an American who's led conservative resistance to Pope Francis' progressive moves since his election a decade ago, has apparently poked the pontiff one too many times. As the New York Times reports, Francis has "frequently demoted and stripped the American cleric of influence"—...

Pope Enters 'Crucial New Phase' for Church

Francis appoints 21 new cardinals to help him enact his reforms, cement his legacy

(Newser) - Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals at a ritual-filled ceremony Saturday, including key figures at the Vatican and in the field who will help enact his reforms and cement his legacy as he enters a crucial new phase in running the Catholic Church. On a crisp sunny day filled with...

Pope to Europe: There's No Migrant 'Emergency' Here

Francis implores Macron, other leaders to open their doors to people fleeing hardships

(Newser) - Pope Francis challenged French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders to open their ports to people fleeing hardship and poverty, insisting Saturday that the continent isn't facing a migration "emergency," but rather a long-term reality that governments must deal with humanely. For a second straight day...

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 Francis: I Told Off Woman With Dog

Pontiff warns against pets replacing kids amid Italy's demographic crisis

(Newser) - In numerous countries in the EU, birth rates are declining, including in Italy, which could lose nearly 20% of its residents by 2050. Those stats are apparently putting Pope Francis on edge, enough to spur him to warn Italian citizens not to let their anxieties about the future keep them...

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...

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