Despite allowing a study on the female deaconate, the pope seemed to rule out any new structure in the church that would concretely incorporate women’s voices.
Religious liberty has a damaged “brand” these days, and Catholic institutions have played a role. The nation's largest church now needs to lower the temperature.
Criticism and applause for Francis's newly created process to try bishops accused of covering up sex abuse; Where have certain "bad" bishops from the U.S. ended up?
Early stories of Jews, Christians, and Muslims; the politics of celibacy and marriage; reflections from Cardinal Kasper; afterlife and wealth in early Christianity.
Cardinals grapple with Francis's unclear "but-also" logic; Bishops hesitate to implement changes pope called for three years ago; What will happen to Vatican Radio?
Francis holds first private talks at Vatican with Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb; Former aide to Bishop-emeritus of Rome claims Ratizinger never really resigned as pope
When Pope Francis issued a formal “bull” instituting the current Year of Mercy, he included in its appendix a lengthy informal interview with an Italian journalist.
Romero refused to sacrifice his conscience to his country’s ruler. To be killed for doing right and speaking against evil in the name of Christ is to be a martyr.
Can a progressive-minded approach can work in a city where the more severe measures of the past failed to prevent a steady increase in the number of homeless people?
The truth (and history) behind the pope's comments on a commission to "clarify" the role of women deacons; Italian bishops react to Italy legalizing same-sex unions.
Pope calls for change in economic theory and practice to deal with refugees in Europe while Rome's Augustinian Institute unveils "Master in Joseph Ratzinger" degree.
Acknowledging the significance of Populorum progressio and the second confrerence of CELAM is essential to understanding the post-Vatican II Latin-American church
Francis reforms the "evangelical spirit" of the church as a rumored eighty-five percent of cardinals in the Curia disapprove, many because of his work with refugees.
The forced resignation of the widely respected Tony Spence, who had a long history of serving the Catholic press, raises questions about changes at the USCCB.
Pope Francis appoints new archbishop of Havana, releases new document on the laity in the church (in Spanish), and rumors say McDonald's is opening in Vatican city.
How media shunned Eastern Orthodox leaders visiting refugees with the pope; Which title Francis prefers; Why U.S. bishops fired Catholic News Service editor-in-chief
Some conservatives tend to confuse fidelity with a one-size-fits-all legalism. If there's one thing you can say about Pope Francis, it's that he's no legalist.
To understand Francis and support the direction he has been setting for the Church, we need to think more deeply about the ways and means of “forgiveness.”
Francis regards the sacrament's indissolubility as a “gift” rather than a “yoke,” and chides those whose efforts to defend marriage reduce the gift to a “duty.”
The exhortation is a valiant and powerful exercise in the Petrine ministry of upholding church unity. Is it another starting point in Francis's pontificate?
How and why Bernie Sanders was invited to the Vatican; Cardinal Burke's backlash and the pope's "bodies"; the important difference between "the Synod" and "synods."
If John Paul II was the philosopher and Benedict XVI the theologian, Pope Francis is the poet pope, giving voice to the dreams and wisdom of migrants and the poor.
With Pope Francis lifting up what can be called social justice Christianity, clichés that religion lives on the right end of American politics might be overturned.
Who's revealing Francis's exhortation on marriage and the family; What some speculate it says about divorced and same-sex couples; How corrupt Cardinal Bertone is.
The initial euphoria of Pope Francis's election was being replaced by the realization that we women would continue to be joked about, romanticized, and patronized.
Rome responds to attacks in Brussels; Francis breaks with tradition to wash feet of asylum seekers for Holy Thursday; New Vatican directory has revealing findings.
Holy See Press Office rushes to defense of priest abusers; New papal diplomats appointed; Cardinal tells journalists priests are "not obliged" to wash women's feet.
The body of Padre Pio was recently paraded through Rome in a glass coffin, followed by thousands. What is it that makes people gather around a desiccated corpse?
Word is Pope Francis will visit Turkey a second time; Jesuit-run Vatican Radio is merging with non-Jesuit CTV; First events for Jubilee Year were not "jubilant."
Francis visits tomb of Don Samuel Ruiz, bishop of the of San Cristóbal de las Casas, and indigenous people whom he empowered with ownership of their local church.
