Pope Francis concluded 2024 by leading the Church in thanksgiving through the chanting of the Te Deum hymn at the end of First Vespers for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
Pope Francis urged priests to be humble like Jesus as he began three busy days leading to Easter — all scaled down because of the coronavirus pandemic — with a Holy Thursday Mass.
Pope Francis said he is thinking of the innocent victims of war, everyday violence, and abortion who are “crucified in our time” during the observance of the Holy Week.
Pope Francis condemned what he described as the “mafia” around the world that are “exploiting the pandemic” and “enriching themselves through corruption.”
“Once again, and with great sorrow, I feel it is urgent to mention the dramatic situation in Myanmar, where many people, especially the young, are losing their lives to offer hope to their country,” said Pope Francis.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responds in the negative to the possibility of imparting a blessing to unions of same-sex couples, noting that it “does not imply a judgment on persons” involved.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said the "unwavering" Christian faith of the Filipino people has to be shared to everyone.
The Vatican this week expressed support for calls to ease international patent protections and speed up sub-licensing agreements for the production of COVID-19 vaccines.
Pope Francis named Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, as a member of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See or APSA.
The Iraqi government has announced stringent COVID-19 precautions, including the closure of mosques and churches "until further notice," ahead of the visit of Pope Francis to the country.
The care for the elderly has become more urgent as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage around the world, noted a new Vatican document released this week.
