Vatican City, Jan 21, 2021 / 06:30 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis recognized on Thursday the heroic virtues of Jérôme Lejeune, the French geneticist who discovered the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. The step, announced on Jan. 21, means that Lejeune can now be referred to as “Venerable.” Heroic …

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the United States of America The White House Washington, DC On the occasion of your inauguration as the forty-sixth President of the United States of America, I extend cordial good wishes and the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you …

by Courtney Mares Vatican City, Jan 20, 2021 / 05:00 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis urged Christians to pray for “the gift of unity” on Wednesday, saying that the devil always seeks to sow division and discord. “During this time of serious hardship, this prayer is even more necessary so …

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Jan 18, 2021 / 10:20 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis said on Monday that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream “of harmony and equality for all people” is still relevant today. “In today’s world, which increasingly faces the challenges of social injustice, division and conflict that …

by Courtney Mares Vatican City, Jan 17, 2021 / 06:00 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis said Sunday that great joy is found when one offers his life in service to God’s call. “There are different ways of carrying out the plan that God has for each of us, which is …

by Andrea Gagliarducci Vatican City, Jan 14, 2021 / 05:45 pm MT (CNA).- Pope Francis might soon choose a new Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, to replace Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who turned 77 in September. His replacement, according to Vatican observers, may bring a broader generational change that could involve …

CNA Staff, Jan 14, 2021 / 06:00 am MT (CNA).- A cardinal has called on Iraqi Catholics to pray at Sunday Masses that Pope Francis will be able to visit their country in March. Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, issued the prayer on Jan. 14 …

Vatican City, Jan 11, 2021 / 11:45 am MT (CNA).- On Jan. 11, Pope Francis published an apostolic letter issued motu proprio (which means “on his own impulse” in Latin), modifying canon law regarding women’s access to the ministries of lector and acolyte. He also released a letter to Vatican …

Vatican City, Jan 12, 2021 / 03:30 am MT (CNA).- Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will receive the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it is available, his personal secretary said Tuesday. Archbishop Georg Gänswein told CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner, Jan. 12 that the 93-year-old former pope would be vaccinated …

CNA Staff, Jan 11, 2021 / 07:30 am MT (CNA).- On Sunday, Jan. 10, the internet was abuzz with false reports of an overnight blackout at the Vatican, accompanied by a series of claims concerning Pope Francis, the Italian police, and the FBI. The claims were widely shared by conspiracy …