Catholic News Service Although it was not part of his formal program, Pope Francis took time after Sunday Mass to visit Cuba’s ailing former leader, Fidel Castro. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said that after the Mass Sept. 20 in Havana’s Revolution Square, Pope Francis was driven to the …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service HAVANA — As Cubans finally face the prospects of calmer relationships and greater ease of communication and commerce with the United States, Pope Francis told the Cuban people that love and service, not anyone’s ideology, are the keys to their happiness. “We do not serve …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service HAVANA — Pope Francis began his visit to Cuba praying for greater freedom for the island’s people and calling on U.S. and Cuban politicians to continue moving toward fully normal and neighborly relations. Meeting President Raul Castro and speaking before a small crowd at …

By John Stegeman Catholic News Service CINCINNATI (CNS) — When Pope Francis becomes the first pope to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress Sept. 24, many will be watching on television or online. In downtown Cincinnati, residents, workers and tourists will be able to watch on a 30.5-by-42.5-foot …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Arriving in the United States from Cuba, Pope Francis “will enter as a migrant” as millions of people have done before him, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. The cardinal, who will accompany the pope on his Sept. 19-27 visits to Cuba, …

Staff Report When Pope Francis lands in America next week, he will be just the fourth pontiff to visit the nation. All eyes of the world will follow Pope Francis from Rome, to Cuba, and finally to the US of A where he has a loaded schedule. With that in mind, …

By Patricia L. Guilfoyle Catholic News Service CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A broad digital media project to coincide with Pope Francis’ visit this fall to the United States aims to recruit and interact with young people, particularly those who do not think of themselves as religious. These “nones,” as researchers have …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A pope needs friends, needs mercy and needs to reach out to all people, Pope Francis said in two radio interviews released in mid-September. Pope Francis told Portugal’s Catholic Radio Renascenca that he goes to confession “every 15 days, 20 …

By Dennis Sadowski  Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Francis’ address to the U.N. General Assembly Sept. 25 will mark the fifth papal speech delivered directly to representatives of the world’s governments. His address will come almost 50 years to the day — Oct. 4, 1965 — when Blessed …

By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service MIAMI — More than 180 South Florida Catholics planned to travel to Havana once again for a historic papal visit to Cuba. The trip is the third Miami archdiocesan pilgrimage to Cuba for the three papal visits to the island nation, beginning with St. John …