By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis encouraged Pennsylvania’s Catholic clergy and women and men religious to challenge young people to develop “high ideals, generosity of spirit and love for Christ and the church.” In his first Mass in Philadelphia, Pope Francis recalled St. Katherine Drexel, a …

By David Agren Catholic News Service NEW YORK  — Pope Francis encouraged an audience of Catholic school students and immigrants to live with joy and dare to dream. He also highlighted the immigrant experience — in a way children could understand, comparing it to seeking acceptance and making friends in …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service NEW YORK  — Seeing New York for the first time in his 78 years of life, Pope Francis said he knew Madison Square Garden was an important gathering place for sporting events and concerts. For him, it was transformed into a chapel in the …

By Beth Griffin Catholic News Service NEW YORK  — Maryknoll Sister Noel Devine was determined to see Pope Francis. She is confined to a wheelchair and can’t speak because she has primary lateral sclerosis, a rare disease affecting the movement of her arms, legs and face. But her spirit and …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Dealing with war, development, the economy or environmental concerns, bureaucrats and diplomats always must remember that the lives of real children, women and men are at stake, Pope Francis told the United Nations. Helping to celebrate the organization’s 70th anniversary, Pope Francis visited its …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph Just days after seeing through his vision of having Pope Francis speak to a joint meeting of Congress, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner’s office has announced he is stepping down. An aide from Boehner’s office confirmed to The Catholic Telegraph …

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 …

Staff Report Pope Francis is visiting the United States of America for the first time this week. Check back here daily for the latest news. Update: On demand video by thUSCCB can be found HERE. Included below is a central list of all stories related to the papal visit. This page …

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 …