Catholic New York

Pope Francis talks with religious leaders during an interreligious meeting on the plain of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq, March 6.

Hostility, Violence Are ‘Betrayals’ of Religion, Pope Says in Iraq

Traveling to the birthplace of Abraham, Pope Francis urged believers to prove their faith in the one God and father of all by accepting one another as brothers and sisters. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 3/6/21

Pope Francis and Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of Shiite Islam’s most authoritative figures, meet during a courtesy visit in Najaf, Iraq, March 6.

Pope, Iraqi Shiite Leader Affirm Importance of Dialogue, Respect

In a low-key meeting followed closely in Iraq and beyond, Pope Francis and Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the influential leader of Shiite Muslims in Iraq, spent 45 minutes speaking privately. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 3/6/21

Pope Francis accepts flowers during a meeting with bishops, priests, religious men and women, seminarians and catechists in the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Deliverance in Baghdad March 5.

Pope: Honor Martyrs by Remaining Faithful, Working for a Better Iraq

Visiting a Baghdad cathedral “hallowed by the blood of our brothers and sisters” murdered in a terrorist attack that shook the world, Pope Francis said their sacrifice must motivate faith and a commitment to working for the common good. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 3/5/21

Pope Francis attends a meeting with authorities, civil society leaders and members of the diplomatic corps in the hall of the presidential palace in Baghdad March 5.

Pope Arrives in Iraq, Promoting Peace, Tolerance, Equality

To consolidate peace and ensure progress, the government and people of Iraq must never treat anyone as a second-class citizen and must work each day to promote harmony, Pope Francis said. more

By Cindy Wooden | 3/5/21

Workers hang posters of Pope Francis in Baghdad March 3. When the pope visits Iraq March 5-8, he will undertake a risky trip to a war-torn country that has seen recent rocket attacks and is surging with new Covid-19 cases.

Pope Francis: An Essential Traveler Ready to Go

As Pope Francis packed his bags to travel internationally for the first time in 15 months, news stories were flashing warnings about the dangers of his March 5-8 visit to Iraq, not only due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but also because of Iraq’s long-term security problems, including bomb and rocket attacks. more

By PAUL HARING | 3/4/21

Pope Taps Newark Cardinal as Member of Congregation for Bishops

Pope Francis has named Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, N.J., a member of the Congregation for Bishops, the office that advises the pope on the nomination of bishops around the world. more

By CAROL GLATZ | 3/4/21

Ahead of Papal Trip, Prelates Urge Prayer, Solidarity With Pope and Iraq

Pope Francis’ upcoming apostolic visit to Iraq offers Americans a time for prayer and solidarity with the pope and the Iraqi people, said two leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. more

3/4/21

Pope Francis is pictured in a video screenshot delivering a message to the people of Iraq in advance of his March 5-8 visit. Pope Francis said he will visit as a pilgrim of peace and reconciliation, hoping to strengthen a sense of fraternity among all the nation’s people of every ethnicity and religion.

‘Finally,’ Pope Says He Will Be Able to Make Pilgrimage to Iraq

Pope Francis told the people of Iraq he was going to their country as a “penitential pilgrim,” asking God’s forgiveness for years of war, persecution and destruction, and as a … more

By CINDY WOODEN | 3/4/21

Five committee chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a Feb. 23 letter to members of Congress oppose the reintroduced Equality Act. The chairmen are Bishop David A. Konderla of Tulsa, Okla., Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Bishop Michael C. Barber of Oakland, Calif., Committee on Catholic Education; Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., Committee on Pro-Life Activities; and Cardinal Dolan, Committee for Religious Liberty.

House Passes Equality Act After Bishops’ Objections

The House of Representatives passed the Equality Act in a 224-206 vote Feb. 25. more

By JULIE ASHER | 3/3/21

A security officer walks with a K-9 unit sniffer dog near a poster of Pope Francis in Baghdad March 3. Pope Francis plans to visit Iraq March 5-8.

Pope Says He Cannot Disappoint Iraqis, Asks Prayers for Trip

On the same day that 10 rockets hit an air base in Iraq, Pope Francis said he had to travel to the country because he could not disappoint them. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 3/3/21

Workers repair the doorway of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh, Iraq, Feb. 23. Pope Francis plans to visit Qaraqosh March 7 during his March 5-8 trip to Iraq.

Precautions Taken, Pope Sees Iraq Trip as Sign of Love

Pope Francis and his aides are well aware of the security and health risks involved with his planned trip to Iraq, but “all the precautions have been taken” and the pope feels a sense of “urgency” to show his love and concern for the Iraqi people, said the director of the Vatican press office. more

By CINDY WOODEN | 3/2/21

Covid-19 Cases Rising in Iraq as Pope Set to Visit

A week before Pope Francis was scheduled to arrive in Iraq, the Vatican nuncio in Baghdad and several members of the staff tested positive for Covid-19 and began self-isolating. more

3/1/21

For Lent, Read the Gospel, Fast From Gossip, Pope Says at Angelus

People should fast from gossiping and spreading hearsay as part of their Lenten journey, Pope Francis said. more

By CAROL GLATZ | 3/1/21

Lenten Retreat for Families, Catechists, Parish Leaders 

The archdiocesan Catechetical Office’s Family Catechesis Advisory Committee and William H. Sadlier Publishing are sponsoring a virtual Lenten retreat Thursday, March 11, at 7 p.m.  more

2/26/21

Cardinals Sarah, Comastri Retire From Vatican Posts

Pope Francis accepted the resignations of 75-year-old Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, and 77-year-old Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and vicar for Vatican City State. more

2/24/21

This is the cover of the Italian book, “Abbi a cuore il Signore,” a collection of meditations and notes written in the 17th century by an anonymous Cistercian monk. Pope Francis sent copies of the book to members of the Roman Curia to guide them in their Feb. 21-26 Lenten retreat, which will take place individually this year because of Covid-19.

Pope, Curia Prepare for Personal Lenten Retreat

Pope Francis sent copies of a 17th-century book of spiritual meditations to members of the Roman Curia to help guide them during their Lenten retreat. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 2/19/21

An altar server holds a copy of the Roman Missal during Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Alexandria, Va., in this 2011 file photo.

Word Change in Missal Doxology Takes Effect on Ash Wednesday

A change in wording to the concluding doxology of orations in the Roman Missal, from “one God, for ever and ever” to “God, for ever and ever,” took effect on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. more

2/19/21

Pope Francis sprinkles ashes on the head of a cardinal during Ash Wednesday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Feb. 17.

For Lent, Ask If One’s Life Is Centered on God or Oneself, Pope Says

Lent is a time to reconsider the path one is taking in life and to finally answer God’s invitation to return to Him with one’s whole heart, Pope Francis said. more

By CAROL GLATZ | 2/17/21

A girl holds up a poster with pictures of the Christians beheaded by the Islamic State group in Libya, during a show of solidarity in front of the Egyptian embassy in Amman, Jordan, in this Feb. 17, 2015, file photo. In a Feb. 15, 2021, video message to mark the “Day of Contemporary Martyrs” Pope Francis honored the Christians beheaded on the beach in Libya in 2015.

Pope Marks Anniversary of Christians Martyred in Libya

Marking the sixth anniversary of the beheading of 21 Christians on a beach in Libya, Pope Francis said they gave witness to Christ through their martyrdom. more

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES | 2/17/21

The U.S. Capitol is seen near the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Jan. 10.

House Bill Recognizes Fetal Pain, Would Bar Most Abortions After 20 Weeks

Citing leading experts in the field of fetal pain, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, said the proposed Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would end the “excruciating suffering and physical pain of unborn babies” by barring most abortions after 20 weeks gestation. more

2/16/21