By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis reaffirmed the Vatican’s call for reform of the U.S.-based Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, told the U.S.-based nuns’ group that he had “recently discussed the …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholics need to know that marrying someone from a different Christian community or, even more so, from a different religion will create extra challenges in their marriage, but church leaders also must learn how to help people in mixed marriages …

Staff Report UPDATE: The Vatican denied Wednesday that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI sufferers from any serious illness other than the problems associated with old age. A Newsmax report claims that Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi denied reports in a Spanish newspaper that the former pope was facing any specific illness. …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY (CNS) — More black smoke poured from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel at 11:40 a.m. March 13, which seemed to indicate the 115 cardinal electors failed to elect a pope on their second and third ballots. The cardinals …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph ROME — The first black smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at 7:41 Rome time (2:41 EDT). Less than 20 minutes later Father Ryan Ruiz, a Cincinnati priest studying in Rome, took the time to speak with The Catholic Telegraph about …

By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Everyone is curious about the cardinals. As they arrive for their daily meetings or general congregations at the Vatican before the conclave, reporters and photographers are on the scene, often behind a barricade but sometimes literally chasing the cardinals with …

By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After completing their third pre-conclave meeting, the College of Cardinals still had not announced a date for the conclave. Instead, they used the March 4 and 5 meetings to discuss needs of the church. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph When the papacy of His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus, ended at 8 p.m. Rome time Thursday, immediate changes took place in the digital realm. When the doors were closed at Castel Gandolfo, the 39 tweets sent out by Benedict XVI as @Pontifex were …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph ROME — More than 150,000 pilgrims turned out for Pope Benedict XVI’s final general audience Wednesday Morning in St. Peter’s Square. Millions more around the world watched the audience via EWTN and a live feed on the Vatican’s website. Others followed online as The …

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON (CNS) — During Pope Benedict XVI‘s visit to the White House in 2008, his thoughts turned to the First Amendment and its enshrinement of the free practice of religion. He told President George W. Bush that the idea of religious freedom as expressed …