Hannah Brockhaus

Hannah Brockhaus

Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency’s senior Vatican correspondent. After growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, she earned a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri. In 2016, she moved to Rome, Italy, where in her spare time she enjoys reading and going on adventures with her husband and son.

Articles by Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican court charges former IOR president with embezzlement

Mar 5, 2018 / 04:07 am

A former president of the Institute of Religious Works - the so-called “Vatican Bank” - and his lawyer have been ordered to stand trial at the Vatican on charges of embezzlement and money laundering.

The soul is God’s temple, not your own, Francis warns

Mar 4, 2018 / 05:03 am

Like Jesus cast out the merchants from the temple in Jerusalem, we should drive the desire for personal gain and advantage from our hearts, replacing it with love, Pope Francis said Sunday.

Pope praises work of nurses, recalls the one who saved his life

Mar 3, 2018 / 13:09 pm

Speaking to a group of nurses on Saturday, Pope Francis thanked them for their valuable work and paid a tribute to the Dominican nun who saved his life when he was a young man.

Holy See to be 'hacked' by first Vatican hackathon    

Mar 2, 2018 / 13:00 pm

On March 8-11, the Vatican will host its first hackathon, VHacks. 120 young adult programmers, graphic designers, project managers, and others from around the world will spend 36 hours “hacking” together over the course of three days.

Pope Francis makes surprise visit to mothers, children at detention home

Mar 2, 2018 / 10:31 am

On Friday, Pope Francis continued his surprise “Mercy Friday” initiative with a visit to a home that keeps children with their mothers, who might otherwise be separated because of imprisonment.

Better formation in discernment is Pope's prayer intention for March

Mar 2, 2018 / 10:22 am

In his prayer video for March, Pope Francis asked for prayers that Christians be better educated to discern between the voices of the “culture of death” and the voice of God, calling them to carry out his mission in the world.

Key abuse charge against Cardinal Pell withdrawn

Mar 2, 2018 / 04:56 am

On Friday, an Australian prosecutor withdrew a charge of abuse against Cardinal George Pell, who is currently undergoing a trial in Australia for accusations of past sexual abuse.

A Catholic 'paradigm shift' would be corruption, not development – Cardinal Muller

Feb 22, 2018 / 13:48 pm

The authentic development of doctrine is about making more explicit the revealed truths of faith, not changing, or “shifting,” Church teaching – and to use this idea to defend an agenda is wrong, Cardinal Gerhard Müller has said.

Pope Francis says Paul VI will be canonized this year

Feb 17, 2018 / 08:53 am

During his annual Lenten meeting with the priests of Rome last week, Pope Francis confirmed that Blessed Pope Paul VI will be made a saint sometime this year.

Pope reappoints O’Malley to head further work of safeguarding commission

Feb 17, 2018 / 05:10 am

On Saturday the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has reconfirmed Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston as head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, also reconfirming seven members and appointing nine new.

Priesthood isn't an assignment – it's a mission, Pope tells seminarians

Feb 16, 2018 / 07:38 am

On Friday Pope Francis met with the community of the Pontifical Maronite College, explaining how their seminary formation isn’t about them or even for them, but for the people they will eventually serve in their parishes and dioceses.

Pope says he prays for those who call him a heretic

Feb 15, 2018 / 12:50 pm

Pope Francis told Jesuits in Chile last month that he’s willing to have discussions with people who disagree with him, but that when people just shout ‘heretic’, he prays for them instead.

Francis modifies norms for the resignation of bishops

Feb 15, 2018 / 10:22 am

On Thursday Pope Francis tweaked the Church’s policies on bishops and Curial officials reaching the age of retirement, indicating that they should accept what God wants, whether accepting retirement or accepting continued service.

Pope on Ash Wednesday: Lent is the perfect time to 'come home'

Feb 14, 2018 / 09:33 am

At Mass for Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis invited everyone to live the 40 days of Lent as a time to “pause” from things which keep us from virtue and to return home to the loving and merciful embrace of God the Father.

Rocket launch prompts talk of living on Mars – what’s a Catholic to think?

Feb 14, 2018 / 00:41 am

A major rocket launch by entrepreneur Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, on Feb. 6 has been hailed as a major step toward cheaper and more frequent spaceflight – and the eventual population of Mars.

Pope offers Mass alongside patriarch of Melkite Greek Church

Feb 13, 2018 / 06:55 am

At Mass at Santa Marta Tuesday, Pope Francis concelebrated Mass with the patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Youssef Absi, saying that offering the liturgy together is like an embrace between the two Churches.

Pope Francis 'signs up' for World Youth Day in Panama

Feb 11, 2018 / 05:30 am

After the Angelus Sunday, with the help of a tablet and two young people, Pope Francis signed up for World Youth Day 2019 in Panama, announcing that registration for the international event has opened.

Pray for each other, Pope Francis tells Stigmatine Fathers

Feb 10, 2018 / 10:22 am

In an off-the-cuff speech Saturday, Pope Francis told members of the Stigmatine Fathers that in community life, fraternity is a grace which requires concrete prayer for each other, and that to hold onto resentment after arguments is a sin.

Vatican conference unites police and Church in fight against human trafficking

Feb 9, 2018 / 10:05 am

A conference on human trafficking and modern-day slavery was held at the Vatican Feb. 8-9, bringing together church leaders and senior police officers from more than 30 different countries to discuss progress and setbacks in initiatives.

Francis, Prime Minister of Estonia meet ahead of possible papal visit

Feb 9, 2018 / 07:40 am

With a papal visit to Estonia likely on the horizon, Pope Francis on Friday met the country’s Prime Minister, Jüri Ratas, at the Vatican, discussing their good diplomatic ties and the contributions of the Catholic Church in Estonian society, despite its small minority.