By Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Dec 17, 2022 / 08:00 am “There is only one thing that really makes us age, grow old interiorly: not age, but sin,” Pope Francis said in 2017 during a speech about the Virgin Mary. As Francis turns 86 on Dec. 17, his 10th birthday as …

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Dec 1, 2022 / 05:00 am Today is the feast day of St. Charles de Foucauld, who was canonized by Pope Francis on May 15. Who was Charles de Foucauld? De Foucauld, also known as Brother Charles of Jesus, was a soldier, explorer, Catholic revert, …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Nov 27, 2022 / 07:00 am As he describes himself on his now-dormant Twitter account, David M. Cheney is, in some ways, just a “Random Catholic Dude.” He works a full-time computer support job, loves to travel, opens emails with “howdy,” and belongs to the …

By Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Nov 7, 2022 / 08:39 am The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church gave Pope Francis a piece from an exploded Russian mine during a visit to the Vatican on Monday. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk is in Rome this week to speak with Pope Francis …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Nov 3, 2022 / 07:03 am Natalia Tsarkova, official portrait artist to the popes for more than 20 years, likes to work from real life. “I am so meticulous about details. I have to see and touch and feel everything,” she said. But for her …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Nov 2, 2022 / 06:00 am On All Souls’ Day, the Catholic Church remembers all those who have died and prays for them in a particular way. But why do Catholics pray for the souls of the dead — not only on Nov. 2 but …

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Oct 29, 2022 / 08:55 am For Christmas 2022, the Vatican has commissioned a nativity scene made of life-sized figures hand carved out of alpine cedar trees. The display will be unveiled in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 3 during a lighting ceremony for the …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Oct 20, 2022 / 05:00 am After announcing Bishop John P. Dolan lost his sister to death by suicide, the Diocese of Phoenix on Wednesday renewed his “urgent plea to get mental health ministry underway.” “Our hearts are breaking as we make known the loss …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Aug 10, 2022 / 09:47 am A controversy over a book and statements made on Twitter has recently drawn increased attention to the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life. In late June, the academy’s official Twitter account began promoting a Vatican-published book synthesizing a 2021 seminar on ethics, …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Jul 21, 2022 / 01:00 am Pope Francis, on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, issued a letter to Catholics on the liturgy and the celebration of the Mass. The letter was published just before the July 16 anniversary of his controversial motu proprio Traditionis …