Pope Francis

Pope Francis phoned Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria Dec. 12, expressing his prayers and condolences for the previous day’s terrorist attack at the Cairo cathedral that left 25 people dead.

The following was first published in the Dec. 2 issue of The Record, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky. It was written by Marnie […]

Christmas is a time to open your heart to the little and wondrous things found in baby Jesus — born poor and defenseless so he could be near and bring hope to everyone, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis has named Bishop Edward J. Burns of Juneau, Alaska, to be bishop of Dallas, succeeding now-Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, who headed the Dallas Diocese until he was named in August to be the first prefect of the new Vatican office for laity, family and life.

Pope Francis urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to do everything possible to end the war in his country, to protect civilians and to ensure humanitarian agencies can deliver emergency aid to the people.

Acknowledging the uncertainty faced by many farmers, Pope Francis encouraged members of the International Catholic Rural Association to maintain as much as possible their traditional rhythms of work, family life and respect for the environment.

Celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope Francis described Mary as a strong woman who inspires believers to give “flesh to the Gospel” in societies often marked by distrust and blindness.

The Christmas tree and Nativity scene are symbols of God’s love and hope, reminding us to contemplate the beauty of creation and welcome the marginalized, Pope Francis said.