Articles by Elise Harris
Pope's first South America stop: Ecuador's sanctuary of Divine Mercy
May 8, 2015 / 10:35 amAfter arriving to Ecuador for his 10 day trip to South America, Pope Francis' first stop will be Guayaquil's Sanctuary of Divine Mercy – breaking with his usual custom of meeting the president first.
Statutes for Vatican commission on protection of minors released
May 8, 2015 / 05:37 amAfter meeting for the first time as a complete entity in February, the Vatican Commission for the Protection of Minors has published their formal statutes, effective for three years.
Pope Francis to star athletes: Don't forget to go to Mass
May 7, 2015 / 14:19 pmOn Thursday Pope Francis demonstrated his keen interest in uniting sports with faith, telling members of Italy's Lazio club not to let training or competitions trump the spiritual essentials.
New Swiss Guards swear oath to defend, protect Pope Francis
May 6, 2015 / 15:06 pmOn Wednesday 32 new Swiss Guards swore an oath of allegiance to Pope Francis, who told them their role is one of courageously imitating Christ which ought to be rooted in prayer.
Pope Francis blesses image of children killed in Maryland fire
May 5, 2015 / 23:03 pmAfter reading a letter while visiting Rome’s North American Seminary detailing the death of two young girls in a house fire, Pope Francis blessed their picture and a small statue to be given to their parents.
California's soon-to-be saint hailed as a man ahead of his time
May 3, 2015 / 16:02 pmExperts in California history, archeology and the life of Bl. Junipero Serra have praised him as a passionate missionary with a vision that extended far beyond his own generation.
How do you remain in Jesus? Do what he did, Pope says
May 3, 2015 / 10:45 amOn Sunday Pope Francis paid a visit to a parish on the southern outskirts of Rome, where he told parishioners that in order to be a good Christian they must always be attached to Jesus, who gives life.
Unity with Christ will transform your life, Pope says
May 3, 2015 / 05:07 amIn his Sunday Regina Coeli address Pope Francis focused on the parable of the vine and the branches, saying that it reveals the importance of uniting oneself to Jesus, who changes how we live.
'I find God in suffering': The gripping life and death of Kayla Mueller
May 1, 2015 / 03:02 amKayla Mueller, the young human rights activist who was killed earlier this year while being held hostage by ISIS, was a woman of faith with a heart full of compassion toward those who suffered, her parents say. Now, they intend to carry on her legacy of service to others.
Who's on the guest list for a Vatican concert? Rome's homeless community
Apr 30, 2015 / 16:45 pmNext month the Vatican will invite Rome's poor and homeless to a concert intended to raise money for Pope Francis’ charities, which last year boasted over one and a half million in charitable giving.
Beauty will save the world – Gaudi's basilica inspires conversions
Apr 30, 2015 / 03:02 amThough the renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi died nearly 90 years ago and his best-known work remains under construction, the beauty of the Sagrada Familia basilica continues to draw people to Christ.
Pope's encyclical could have huge weigh-in on climate change talks
Apr 29, 2015 / 11:02 amWith experts and global leaders looking to Pope Francis as a moral compass, his upcoming encyclical on the environment could set a key ethical framework for discussion and policies surrounding the topic.
Pope Francis donates $100,000 to Nepal relief efforts
Apr 29, 2015 / 06:43 amAfter Saturday’s massive earthquake devastated the Southeast Asian country of Nepal, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum has offered financial assistance to the local community as a sign of solidarity.
Armenian genocide beckons for a new start in Turkey, historian says
Apr 24, 2015 / 15:23 pmOn the day marking 100 years since the systematic killing of over a million Armenians at the hands of Ottoman authorities, a Catholic historian insists that peaceful coexistence is possible today in Turkey.
New Greensburg bishop seeks to emulate Francis' focus on mercy
Apr 24, 2015 / 04:14 amThe Vatican announced Friday that Fr. Edward C. Malesic of Harrisburg, Penn. has been nominated to lead the Greensburg diocese, a role he wishes to carry out by imitating Pope Francis’ compassion.
Galveston-Houston's vicar for clergy tapped to lead Victoria diocese
Apr 23, 2015 / 04:23 amThe Vatican announced Thursday that Fr. Brendan Cahill, Vicar for Clergy in the archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, has been named bishop for the diocese of Victoria, Texas.
What happens when beautiful street art meets a Rome ghetto?
Apr 23, 2015 / 03:02 amStreet artists from 10 countries around the globe gathered in Rome and put their talents to use in creating an outdoor art exhibit designed to place beauty at the center of an impoverished neighborhood.
Men and women complete each other – there's no other option, Pope says
Apr 22, 2015 / 10:39 amPope Francis said Wednesday that marriage is a vocation all believers are called to defend, specifically in terms of the complementarity of the union between a man and a woman.
Pope Francis to Cuba: it’s official!
Apr 22, 2015 / 05:34 amVatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. confirmed to journalists today that Pope Francis will make a pastoral stop in Cuba ahead of his September apostolic voyage to the United States.
Pope Francis and his growing litany of modern-day martyrs
Apr 21, 2015 / 08:54 amAmid a torrent of recent news reports on persecuted Christians, Pope Francis reflected on those killed for their faith and said that these modern “Stephens” suffer as the Church's first martyr did.