Articles by Courtney Mares
Pope Francis urges new bishops to draw close to God and His people
Sep 12, 2019 / 13:01 pmAs Pope Francis met Thursday with bishops ordained in the past year, he urged them to make time for an intimate relationship with God and for pastoral visits to people they serve.
Pope Francis announces ‘global village’ alliance for education, environment
Sep 12, 2019 / 08:25 amPope Francis announced Thursday his newest initiative to form an international and interreligious alliance, which he described as “global village” to educate each child and promote care for the earth.
Catholics, Muslims pray at Vatican for September 11 victims
Sep 11, 2019 / 10:27 amCatholics and Muslims prayed in Vatican City Wednesday for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and of every act of terrorism.
Pope Francis says he hopes 'seeds of peace' will bear fruit in Africa
Sep 11, 2019 / 04:30 amUpon his return to the Vatican after a six-day trip to Africa, Pope Francis said Wednesday that he hopes the "seeds of peace" sown during his apostolic journey will bear fruit in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius.
Vatican diplomat: Solidarity must be at the heart of the European project
Aug 22, 2019 / 12:30 pmThe Vatican Secretary for Relations with States said Wednesday that politics surrounding migration in Europe fuel ideological conflicts that do not fully take into account the complexity of the problem.
Pope Francis: Self-interest and hypocrisy destroy the Church
Aug 21, 2019 / 05:00 amPope Francis decried hypocrisy and self-interest Wednesday, saying that Christian community should always be characterized by generosity and solidarity.
Hospital boat named 'Pope Francis' sets sail to serve rural Amazon region
Aug 20, 2019 / 08:30 amA hospital boat named the “Pope Francis” set sail this week in the Amazon River to bring medical care to rural populations.
Pope Francis: Discover the beauty of prayer in adoration
Aug 18, 2019 / 04:25 amPope Francis said Sunday that prayer in adoration of God and service to others spreads the fire of God’s love, changing the world one heart at a time.
Iraqi church formerly defaced by ISIS rededicated on Assumption feast
Aug 16, 2019 / 04:23 amAn Iraqi church damaged and defaced by the Islamic State in 2014 was rededicated Thursday for the parish’s celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.
Pope Francis gives thousands of rosaries to Christians in Syria
Aug 15, 2019 / 04:30 amPope Francis announced Thursday that he is giving 6,000 blessed rosaries to Catholic communities in Syria as a sign of his closeness on the Marian Feast of the Assumption.
Pope Francis: In times of suffering, know that you are never alone
Aug 13, 2019 / 09:45 amPope Francis wrote a heartfelt letter Tuesday to an Italian community still suffering one year after a bridge collapse. His message: “Know that you are not alone.”
Pope Francis prays for monsoon victims in India
Aug 12, 2019 / 08:00 amPope Francis offered prayers and condolences Monday for the victims of monsoon flooding in southern India that has left more than 150 people dead.
Pope Francis: War is always a loss for all humanity
Aug 11, 2019 / 08:14 amPope Francis marked the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions Sunday with a message urging the protection of life and human dignity in armed conflicts.
St. Dominic, a dog, and divine fire
Aug 8, 2019 / 09:03 amThe first image to greet visitors to the basilica containing the tomb of St. Dominic in Bologna, Italy is a mosaic of the saint next to a dog carrying a flaming torch in its mouth.
McCarrick's grooming tactics shown in letters to seminarians and abuse victims
Aug 6, 2019 / 07:14 amLetters from Theodore McCarrick to his abuse victims were published Tuesday by the Associated Press, in advance of a promised Vatican report on a Church investigation into the life of the former bishop.
White roses fall inside Roman basilica to mark 4th century Marian miracle
Aug 5, 2019 / 09:09 amWhite rose petals fell from the ceiling of St. Mary Major Basilica Monday, as Romans celebrated the anniversary of a 4th century Marian miracle.
Catholic scout troops in Europe find fellowship in sacraments, service
Aug 2, 2019 / 14:06 pmThis week, as many as 5,000 Catholic scouts are walking historic pilgrimage routes to Rome that will culminate in a private audience with Pope Francis and a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Aug. 3.
The Dormition Fast: The Eastern Christian season leading to the Assumption
Jul 31, 2019 / 02:01 amEach year the Eastern Catholic Churches, as well as other Eastern Christians, participate in a fasting season Aug. 14 in preparation for the Aug. 15 feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God (which is celebrated as the Assumption in the Latin rite).
After deadly shipwreck, Pope Francis appeals for safety of migrants
Jul 28, 2019 / 04:45 amAs up to 150 migrants are feared to have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, Pope Francis made an appeal to the international community Sunday to act decisively to ensure the safety and dignity of migrants.
Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishop of Havana for 34 years, dies at 82
Jul 27, 2019 / 08:04 amCardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, who served as Archbishop of Havana for more than 34 years, died Friday at the age of 82 after a months-long battle with cancer.