Pope Francis

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Pope Zaps Fundraising Arm Formed in Francis' Final Days

Leo doing a bit of housecleaning as he eliminates sketchy commission tied to Secretariat of State

(Newser) - Pope Leo XIV has taken his biggest step yet to correct one of Pope Francis' more problematic financial moves, canceling a special Holy See fundraising commission that was announced under questionable circumstances while Francis was hospitalized. Leo on Thursday formally suppressed the fundraising commission, abrogated its statutes, and fired its...

Vatican Clarifies Mary's Role as Devotion Intensifies

Jesus' mother should not be called the 'co-redeemer,' directive says

(Newser) - The Vatican has issued a new directive this week clarifying that Catholics should not refer to Mary as "co-redeemer" with Jesus, in response to a rising trend of intense Marian devotion amplified by social media. The decree, approved by Pope Leo, emphasizes that Jesus alone is responsible for humanity'...

Pope Allows American Cardinal to Say Latin Mass in St. Peter's

Supporters of ancient liturgy take encouragement from Leo's decision

(Newser) - An American cardinal celebrated a traditional Latin Mass on Saturday in St. Peter's Basilica with the explicit permission of Pope Leo XIV, thrilling supporters of the the ancient liturgy who had felt abandoned after Pope Francis greatly restricted it. A few thousand pilgrims, including young families and women who...

Beleaguered Venezuela Celebrates Its First Saints

Revered 'doctor of the poor' and founder of religious order are canonized by Pope Leo

(Newser) - Pope Leo XIV canonized Venezuela's beloved "doctor of the poor" Sunday before 70,000 people at the Vatican, offering the South American nation its first saint and a reason to celebrate during its yearslong economic crisis and new tensions with the US . José Gregorio Hernández, revered by...

Pope Leo Reverses One of Francis' Decisions

It involves the management of the Holy See's assets

(Newser) - Pope Leo XIV has undone one of Pope Francis' bigger financial reforms and decisions, canceling a law Monday that had concentrated financial power in the Vatican bank. Leo abrogated the 2022 law that had decreed that management of the Holy See's assets was the "exclusive responsibility" of the...

Leo Brings Back the Papal Summer Vacation

He'll spend 2 weeks in Castel Gandolfo, which is hoping for a tourism boost

(Newser) - Pope Leo XIV is reviving a 400-year-old tradition this July, becoming the first pontiff in over a decade to summer in Castel Gandolfo, a small community about an hour south of Rome. The move, confirmed by the Vatican, has locals eager for a surge of tourists to the hillside...

Rude Moviegoers Have Driven Scorsese Out of Theaters

Directing legend says he watches films at home now, put off by obnoxious movie patrons in public

(Newser) - Martin Scorsese says he's had enough of watching movies in theaters, blaming bad audience behavior for ruining the experience. In an interview with film critic Peter Travers for "The Travers Take" blog cited by the Guardian , the 82-year-old Goodfellas and Irishman director said he's too distracted...

More Black Smoke: No Pope After 2 Votes

Cardinals will try again in a few hours

(Newser) - Black smoke poured from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, meaning cardinals failed to pick a pope in their second round of voting, reports NBC News . They will try again at 11:30am Eastern.
  • No surprise: Modern popes are rarely selected in the first or second round, notes
...

Conclave to Choose a New Pope Is About to Begin

Cardinals will make their way to the Sistine Chapel at 10:15am

(Newser) - At 10:15am ET, Catholic cardinals will make their way to the Sistine Chapel—and won't re-enter the world until there is a new pope, reports NBC News . The conclave to select the next pope following the death of Pope Francis in April at age 88 involves 133...

After the Conclave, Watch for the New Pope's Name

It could send a signal about his intentions toward the papacy

(Newser) - Some 135 cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to presumably elevate one of their own to the papacy. When the white smoke blows, signaling the election of a new pope, the world will watch not only the man who emerges in his new white cassock, but also the...

Old Popemobile Is Getting New Life in Gaza

Converted vehicle will deliver medical care amid ongoing conflict

(Newser) - Pope Francis' legacy now includes a popemobile that's been transformed for a new kind of mission. Before his death on April 21 at age 88, Francis donated one of his trademark vehicles so it could be converted into a mobile health unit for children in Gaza, according to...

In Rome, Nuns Are Gathering, Too
In Rome, Nuns
Are Gathering, Too
May 5, 2025 8:04 AM CDT

In Rome, Nuns Are Gathering, Too

Meeting of 'superiors' coincides with death of Francis

(Newser) - As cardinals prepare to gather in the Sistine Chapel to select the next pope, another assembly is underway just miles away: Nearly 900 leaders of female Catholic religious orders are meeting in Rome. These superiors—representing over 450,000 nuns globally—opened their plenary assembly Monday with a call...

Trump's Late-Night Pic of Himself as Pope Riles Internet

One self-described Trump supporter called the AI-created image 'disrespectful and insulting'

(Newser) - Just days after Pope Francis died last month, Donald Trump riffed that he'd like to be the next leader of the Catholic Church. Now, as the Vatican is gearing up for the conclave starting Wednesday that will select a new pontiff, the US president is extending the joke, this...

Pope Planned to Bless Cyclists. Now, They'll Honor Him

Giro d'Italia will pass in front of the late Francis' residence

(Newser) - It could very well be the biggest sporting event ever held inside the walls of the Vatican. The Giro d'Italia will pay homage to the late Pope Francis by passing through the Vatican gardens behind St. Peter's Basilica and in front of the Santa Marta hotel—which was...

Amid Scandal, Cardinal Becciu Bows Out of Papal Conclave

Convicted cardinal steps back after letters reportedly signed by Francis surface on eligibility

(Newser) - Once one of the most powerful voices in the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Becciu has stepped back from the Vatican's most secretive election after a recent criminal conviction. Becciu made his decision on Tuesday after being presented with two letters written by Pope Francis before his death that said...

Pope Addressed Love, Marriage in a Final Writing

Unpublished work is 'a classic text' by Francis, scholar says

(Newser) - In one of his last writings, which remains unpublished, Pope Francis counseled young Catholics about marriage. The text, a foreword for a book by a foundation that publishes church teachings for young people around the world in 70 languages, doesn't break from doctrine, the New York Times reports. But...

The Conclave Is Set
The Conclave Is Set
Apr 28, 2025 8:09 AM CDT

The Conclave Is Set

Cardinals will sequester themselves on May 7 to pick a successor to Pope Francis

(Newser) - The start date is set to pick a new pope. How long it will take remains anyone's guess. Catholic cardinals said Monday that their conclave to select Pope Francis' successor will begin on May 7, reports the AP . The cardinals delayed the secret voting for two days to...

Pope's Mourners Put Their Loss Into Words

Migrants, homeless, young people talk about the connection they felt

(Newser) - People gathered at churches and in streets in Vatican City and around the world to mourn Pope Francis on Saturday, the day of his funeral . They talked about their appreciation for his papacy as well as the connection they felt to him. Per the AP , Reuters , the BBC , the New ...

After Chat With Zelensky, Trump Doubts Putin's Intentions

Ukrainian president says brief talk covered 'a lot'

(Newser) - President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly on Saturday before the funeral for Pope Francis as the American leader steps up pressure to end Russia's war against Ukraine. It was the first face-to-face encounter between the presidents since they argued during a heated Oval Office meeting at...

Francis Built 'a Poor Church for the Poor'

US Presidents Trump and Biden, heads of state, Catholic faithful honor pope at Vatican funeral

(Newser) - World leaders and Catholic faithful bade farewell to Pope Francis in a funeral Saturday that highlighted his concern for the "most peripheral of the peripheries" and reflected his wishes as pastor. Though presidents and princes attended the Mass in St. Peter's Square, prisoners and migrants were also set...

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