By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — Canonizing the 18th-century Spanish missionary, Blessed Junipero Serra, Pope Francis insisted a person’s faith is alive only when it is shared. Celebrating a late afternoon Mass outside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Sept. 23, the pope declared the holiness …

By Kurt Jensen Catholic News Service WASHINGTON  — “Paaaaapaaaaa!” Popes in popemobiles create, as they always do, a sort of undulating ecstasy in the faithful who have traveled to see them. It was no different for Pope Francis as his heavily guarded Jeep Wrangler made a brief trip around the …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Acknowledging the real challenges and burdens the U.S. bishops face in their ministry, Pope Francis shared with them his own experience as a pastor and urged them to keep their eyes focused on Jesus and their hearts open to others. “Woe to us,” …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Pope Francis introduced himself to President Barack Obama and all people of the United States as a “son of an immigrant family” arriving in the United States for the first time to learn from others and to share from his own experience. In …

CNA/EWTN News For the first time, the Holy See’s distinct white and yellow flag will fly alongside the flags of United Nation’s countries in honor of Pope Francis‘ arrival to U.N. headquarters in New York City. U.N. officials, after consulting with the Holy See, decided to raise the flag on …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM CUBA — Pope Francis defended his position on the economy, the environment and other social issues as faithful repetitions of the basic Catholic social doctrine. Speaking to reporters flying with him from Cuba to Washington Sept. 22, the pope was …

By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The first traces of preparation for Pope Francis‘ historic U.S. visit this September could be said to have started in Milan, Italy, in 2012. In closing the Vatican-sponsored World Meeting of Families held there that year, Pope Benedict XVI announced …

By Carol Zimmerman Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The Sept. 23 meeting between President Barack Obama and Pope Francis will likely continue the dialogue these two leaders began in a 2014 meeting at the Vatican and will likely lead to further action on ideas the two leaders share, said White House …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY  — There’s perhaps no other signature vehicle in the world more well-known than the popemobile. Tall and boxy or sleek and chic, it’s the one white ride that always catches people’s eye, mostly because of the special passenger waving inside. The popemobile …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service SANTIAGO, Cuba — In one of the calmer, more intimate moments of his visit to Cuba, Pope Francis and the country’s bishops offered special prayers to the Cuba’s patroness, Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre. The prayer Sept. 21 at the Shrine of …