By VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A jubilee year that does not open people’s wallets to share what they have with others is not a true jubilee, Pope Francis said. “This pope isn’t inventing that,” he insisted. “It’s in the Bible.” At his weekly general audience Feb. 10 in St. Peter’s …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Chaz Muth By Chaz Muth BOISE, Idaho (CNS) — In the 1980s, a wave of migrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries began to settle in Idaho. The agricultural industry made the state a prime location for these immigrants, who could work on the farms and ranches, …

IMAGE: Catholic News Service By David Agren CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (CNS) — When Father Alberto Melendez began ministering at the prison in this once-violent border city nine years ago, rival gangs ran criminal operations from behind bars. Riots broke out regularly; a 2009 tragedy claimed 20 lives. “There was no …

IMAGE: CNS photo/David Maung By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In a video message one week before his apostolic visit, Pope Francis asked the people of Mexico for some time alone during his visit to pray before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “I would like to …

IMAGE: Nancy Wiechec By Chaz Muth WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic missionaries played a large role in bringing European values and religion to North America in the 18th century. The role of the Franciscans, Jesuits, Dominicans and other Catholic religious orders was to set up missions that became economic, political and …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Respond to the crisis of vocations with intensified prayer, not despair or a lax admissions process, Pope Francis told women and men religious. He said he is tempted to lose hope, too, asking God, “What is happening? Why is the …

By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — More than 1,000 “missionaries of mercy” from all over the world will receive a special mandate from Pope Francis to preach and teach about God’s mercy, said Archbishop Rino Fisichella. About 700 of the missionaries who were chosen by Pope Francis will be …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Praying for a loved one’s health and healing, tenderly caring for them and asking very human questions about why people suffer are experiences Christians, Muslims and Jews all share, Pope Francis said. In his message for the World Day …

IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Loyola Press By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Children may say the darnedest things, but when it comes to questions about faith they can make even the most learned parents and priests pause. “These are tough,” Pope Francis said when presented with questions from 30 children …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Jay Rommel Labra, EPA By Simone Orendain CEBU, Philippines (CNS) — Two Asian church leaders urged participants in the 51st International Eucharistic Congress to follow the example of Pope Francis, working to reach people on the periphery. The pope’s envoy to the congress, Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon, …