Priest tells Fox News he was ‘upset’ Clinton cited Pope Francis to justify some of her positions

Priest tells Fox News he was ‘upset’ Clinton cited Pope Francis to justify some of her positions 

2016 presidential election , al smith dinner , anti-catholic bigotry , hillary clinton , pope francis

October 23, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – Once again a leading opponent of Catholic moral teachings, this time Hillary Clinton, has cited Pope Francis to give credibility to her actions. In a Fox news interview, Fr. Gerald Murray gives clear reasons why some of Clinton's remarks at the Al Smith dinner were highly inappropriate and that she should have used the event to publicly disown the anti-Catholic bigotry in her staff emails revealed by Wikileaks. Continue Reading

Germany’s youngest bishop takes bold stand for marriage

Germany’s youngest bishop takes bold stand for marriage 

bishop stefan oster , catholic , communion for remarried , synod on the family

April 29, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- In preparation of the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the Family in Rome, more voices can be gathered that bring up very valuable arguments in defense of the Catholic Church's moral teaching. 

The youngest Catholic bishop in Germany at 49, Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau, who came into his current office only in May 2014, chose as his motto: "Victoria Veritatis Caritas" ("The victory of truth is love"). Fittingly, he has soon after his consecration as bishop taken up the task of speaking the truth in charity. In the context of the last Synod of Bishops of October 2014, and since then, he has come out with some very differentiated and calm, as well as refreshingly original, argumentations against the professedly progressive forces within the Church. Continue Reading

Cardinal Burke destroys Cupich’s claim that pope’s exhortation is a ‘game changer’

Cardinal Burke destroys Cupich’s claim that pope’s exhortation is a ‘game changer’ 

blase cupich , catholic , pope francis , raymond burke , synod on the family

April 11, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – Cardinal Burke’s first reaction to Pope Francis’ controversial post-synodal exhortation Amoris Laetitia takes aim at those who claim it is a “revolution” in the Church’s practices. 

The most notable advocate of that view in the U.S. is Chicago’s Archbishop Blase Cupich, who called the exhortation a “game changer” that could relax the Church’s approach to Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried and those in same-sex relationships. Continue Reading

Top Vatican judge doubles down against four Cardinals: ‘They gave the Pope a slap in the face’

Top Vatican judge doubles down against four Cardinals: ‘They gave the Pope a slap in the face’ 

amoris laetitia , catholic , dubia , four cardinals letter , pope francis , vito pinto

ROME, December 2, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – The head of the Vatican’s highest appeals court has doubled down on his criticism of the four Cardinals calling for clarification of Amoris Laetitia, telling another news agency that their act amounted to a "slap in the face." 

Msgr. Vito Pinto had called the dubia a “very serious scandal” only days ago, in comments reported by Spanish news agency Religión Confidencial. Continue Reading

POPE FRANCIS PERMANENTLY GRANTS ALL PRIESTS POWER TO FORGIVE ABORTION

POPE FRANCIS PERMANENTLY GRANTS ALL PRIESTS POWER TO FORGIVE ABORTION

In his Apostolic Letter “Misericordia et Misera“, marking the end of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis permanently granted the power to forgive abortions to all Priests. Previously and traditionally, only the Pope himself could forgive the sin of procuring an abortion.
Francis, as part of the Year of Mercy, had temporarily granted the faculty to all priests but has decided to make the change permanent.
In his letter, he wrote “Given this need, lest any obstacle arise between the request for reconciliation and God’s forgiveness, I henceforth grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion. The provision I had made in this regard, limited to the duration of the Extraordinary Holy Year, is hereby extended, notwithstanding anything to the contrary.” Continue Reading

Francis appeals to the martyrs in ecumenical message to Patriarch

Francis appeals to the martyrs in ecumenical message to Patriarch

The Bishop of Rome sent a message to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople on Wednesday, continuing a recent tradition of ecumenism between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.

“The exchange of delegations between Rome and Constantinople on the occasion of the respective feast days honouring the brother apostles Peter and Andrew is a visible sign of the profound bonds that already unite us,” Pope Francis said Nov. 30 in his message to Bartholomew I, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople.

“So too, it is an expression of our yearning for ever deeper communion, until that day when, God willing, we may witness to our love for one another by sharing the same eucharistic table. In this journey towards the restoration of eucharistic communion between us, we are sustained by the intercession not only of our patron saints, but by the array of martyrs from every age, who 'despite the tragedy of our divisions… have preserved an attachment to Christ and to the Father so radical and absolute as to lead even to the shedding of blood'.” Continue Reading

Society needs priests 'enamored' with the Gospel, Pope Francis says by Elise Harris

Society needs priests 'enamored' with the Gospel, Pope Francis says 

by Elise Harris

In his message for the 2017 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis focused on the need to be “missionary disciples” who first fall in love with God, and are then propelled into action, zealously spreading the Good News they have heard.

“The People of God need to be guided by pastors whose lives are spent in service to the Gospel,” the Pope said in his message, published Nov. 30.

He asked parish communities, associations and various prayer groups within the Church not to get discouraged by an apparent lack of vocations, but to continue praying fervently “that the Lord will send workers to his harvest.” Continue Reading

Pope Francis offers prayer, condolences after Colombia plane crash by Elise Harris

Pope Francis offers prayer, condolences after Colombia plane crash

by Elise Harris

After a plane crash in Colombia claimed the lives of 71 people, including the majority of Brazil’s up and coming Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team, Pope Francis has offered his prayer and solidarity for the victims and their families.

“Deeply distressed to learn of the sad news of the serious plane accident which has caused many victims,” Pope Francis “raises his prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased,” a Nov. 30 telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin read. 

Continue Reading

Vatican foundation exploring pros, cons of new technologies By Elise Harris

Vatican foundation exploring pros, cons of new technologies

By Elise Harris

Alongside the various technological advances booming throughout the world, the digital age has also brought with it questions as to exactly what effect these new technologies are having on the global market, particularly when it comes to jobs.

Pope Francis himself has brought up both the benefits as well as the concerns of technology on several occasions, including in his 2015 environmental encyclical, Laudato si'.

Weighing these pros and cons is one of tasks he has given particularly to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, which will discuss the issue in a series of conferences to be held throughout the coming year. Continue Reading

We have to pray for both the living and the dead, Pope Francis says by Elise Harris

We have to pray for both the living and the dead, Pope Francis says

by Elise Harris

In his last set of catechesis on mercy, Pope Francis focused on the works of praying for the living and the dead, as well as burying the dead, insisting that since we are all part of one family in Christ, we must remember to pray constantly for one another.

When we say “I believe in the communion of Saints” while reciting the Nicene Creed, “it’s a mystery that expresses the beauty of the mercy that Jesus revealed to us...all, living and dead, we are in communion.”

This communion is “like a union: united in the community of the many who have received baptism,” he said, noting that since all of us by virtue of our same baptism “are the same family, united,” we must “pray for each other.”

Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall for his general audience, concluding his catechesis on mercy. He began the series last fall as a lead-in to the Jubilee of Mercy, which closed Nov. 20. Continue Reading