Courtney Mares

Courtney Mares

Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.

Articles by Courtney Mares

Pope Francis: Do not confuse Christmas with consumerism

Dec 24, 2023 / 11:40 am

The pope asked people to think of which lonely or needy people could be comforted by their friendship during the Christmas season.

Pope Francis sends papal almoner to Holy Land for Christmas as a sign of solidarity

Dec 22, 2023 / 12:32 pm

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski will spend Christmas in Jerusalem, where he will join the local Christian community in praying for peace.

Pope Francis ‘deeply saddened’ by shooting at Prague university 

Dec 22, 2023 / 11:38 am

A 24-year-old student opened fire in the university’s philosophy department building after first killing his father outside of Prague. The gunman then killed himself.

Pope Francis to Roman Curia: ‘Rigid ideological positions’ prevent us from moving forward

Dec 21, 2023 / 11:13 am

“Let us remain vigilant against rigid ideological positions that often ... separate us from reality and prevent us from moving forward,” Pope Francis said.

Vatican court convicts Cardinal Becciu, sentences him to 5 years in jail for embezzlement

Dec 16, 2023 / 11:49 am

Five other defendants in the "Trial of the Century" received similar sentences.

Vatican closing down Loyola Community co-founded by Rupnik

Dec 15, 2023 / 09:38 am

The shutdown, which must take place within one year, is “due to serious problems concerning the exercise of authority and the way of living together.”

Vatican doctrine office encourages single mothers to receive Communion after confession

Dec 14, 2023 / 13:50 pm

The Vatican’s doctrine office published a letter on Thursday confirming that single mothers can receive Communion after going to confession.

Pope Francis recognizes miracle attributed to St. Teresa of Ávila’s spiritual daughter

Dec 14, 2023 / 10:55 am

In a decree signed Dec. 14, Pope Francis authorized the beatification of Ana de Lobera y Torres, better known by her religious name Sister Ana de Jesús.

Pope Francis says that he wants to be buried in Marian basilica in new interview

Dec 13, 2023 / 10:10 am

Pope Francis has said that he wants to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome because of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

PHOTOS: Pope Francis honors Virgin Mary on solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Dec 8, 2023 / 13:30 pm

Pope Francis prayed in front of a statue of the Immaculate Conception near Rome’s Spanish Steps, which sits atop a nearly 40-foot-high column.

Pope Francis announces Catholic Church’s first World Day of Children

Dec 8, 2023 / 07:45 am

The event was inspired by a 9-year-old boy named Alessandro, who proposed the idea to the pope to have an international event for younger children.

Pope Francis reads speeches unassisted for the first time in nearly two weeks

Dec 7, 2023 / 11:16 am

The pope seemed to show improvement Thursday by reading out his speeches during his various meetings on Dec. 7. 

Pope Francis’ cardinal advisers hear from 2 female professors on women’s role in the Church

Dec 7, 2023 / 10:45 am

The pope’s Council of Cardinals has been discussing the role of women in the Church since February 2022.

Cardinal Fernández: Offer yourselves to the Lord ‘like clay ready to be molded’

Dec 6, 2023 / 12:00 pm

The new head of the Vatican’s doctrine office gave a homily this week in which he encouraged Catholics to be ready to be transformed by the Lord.

Pope Francis prays for victims of bombing of Catholic Mass in the Philippines

Dec 4, 2023 / 11:24 am

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Dec. 3 blast in a university gymnasium.

Pope Francis to COP28: Environmental destruction is ‘an offense against God’

Dec 2, 2023 / 06:45 am

Pope Francis canceled his scheduled trip to Dubai days before the climate summit at the request of his doctors.

Pope Francis says he has ‘very acute infectious bronchitis’

Nov 30, 2023 / 08:15 am

“As you can see, I am alive,” Pope Francis quipped as he met participants in a health care ethics seminar on Thursday morning.

Pope Francis meets with professional soccer team founded by a Catholic religious

Nov 29, 2023 / 13:30 pm

Pope Francis met Wednesday with professional soccer players from the Celtic Football Club, a team founded by an Irish Catholic religious brother.

Pope Francis says he is ‘still not well,’ has aide read general audience speech

Nov 29, 2023 / 06:20 am

Pope Francis, who turns 87 in December, spoke softly into a microphone as he explained that he was “still not well” and would have an aide read his speech.

Giorgia Meloni condemns vandalism of pro-life center in Rome

Nov 27, 2023 / 12:49 pm

The Italian prime minister has condemned the vandalism of a pro-life organization’s headquarters in Rome perpetrated during a protest.