On Sunday 25th October 2015, lines of faithful spiraled around St. Peter’s Square from early on Sunday awaiting their chance to enter St. Peter’s Basilica for the closing Mass of the Synod on the Family. The Mass, presided over by Pope Francis, marked the end of the second gathering of the Synod of Bishops to discuss “The Mission and Vocation of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World.”

Families from all over the world filled the Basilica…

Today, at the beginning of the afternoon General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops, the Holy Father made the following announcement:

“I have decided to establish a new Dicastery with competency for Laity, Family and Life, that will replace the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family. The Pontifical Academy for Life will be joined to the new Dicastery. To this end, I have constituted a special commission that will prepare a text delineating canonically the competencies of the new Dicastery…

Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience this Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square. In his remarks to the faithful gathered in the Square, Pope Francis returned to the theme of the family, and specifically to the promises a man and a woman make to each other when they form a family in marriage.

The Holy Father began his main catechesis with a reflection on the family as founded on a promise…

Pope Francis says God’s love for us is without limits whereas human beings often lack this generosity and have a tendency to weigh up situations. His words came during his homily at Mass on Tuesday (20th October) celebrated in the Santa Marta residence.

Taking his inspiration from St Paul’s letter to the Romans, the Pope’s homily was a reflection on God’s boundless love to us, saying he doesn’t stand still but instead goes out to search for each one of us…

 Jesus does not condemn wealth, but the attachment to wealth that divides families and causes wars: this was the focus of Pope Francis’ remarks to the faithful at Mass on Monday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta.

Let not religion become an “insurance agency”

Reflecting on the readings of the day that had just been proclaimed at Mass on Monday morning in the Santa Marta chapel, Pope Francis bluntly reminded the gathered faithful that we cannot serve two masters: either one serves God, or one serves wealth…

Speaking ahead of the Angelus at the conclusion of the Holy Mass on Sunday, Pope Francis appealed once again for peace in the Holy Land. “I am following with great concern the situation of high tension and violence that afflicts the Holy Land,” he said. “In this moment,” he continued, “there is need of great courage and great strength of soul in order to say ‘No’ to hatred and vengeance, and to carry out acts of peace.”

Pope Francis prayed that God might strengthen both political leaders and people, that they might have to courage to oppose violence and to take concrete steps aimed at decreasing tensions…