VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis was a pastor first, “so consistently, so spontaneously and with such deep conviction,” that it will remain a gift to the Catholic Church, said Cardinal Michael Czerny. The cardinal, who served as prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, spoke with Catholic News Service April 22, the…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The funeral Mass of Pope Francis will be celebrated April 26 in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the liturgy, which begins a nine-day period of official mourning and daily memorial Masses. The deceased pope’s body, which was…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ final moments were peaceful, and he managed to give one last farewell to his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, before slipping into a coma early April 21, Vatican News reported. Among his last words were his thanks to Strappetti late April 20 when he said, “Thank you for bringing me back…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88, gave new energy to millions of Catholics — and caused concern for some — as he transformed the image of the papacy into a pastoral ministry based on personal encounters and strong convictions about poverty, mission and dialogue. U.S. Cardinal…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis died April 21 after suffering a stroke and heart attack, said the director of Vatican City State’s department of health services. The pope had also gone into a coma. “I certify that His Holiness Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, resident of…
WASHINGTON – Upon the news from the Holy See announcing the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following statement in remembrance: Pope Francis will long be remembered for his outreach to those on the margins of the Church and of…