The Catholic Bishops in Ghana have reassured Christians during this Lenten season that hope does not disappoint. They emphasize that true hope is firmly rooted in Christ’s victory over sin and death and urged the faithful to embrace prayer, sacrifice, and love, trusting in God’s ever-present mercy.

Read all

 

The Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap, delivers the fourth in his series of reflections for the 2025 Spiritual Exercises of the Roman Curia. You can read a summary of the reflection, entitled 'The second death', below.

Read all

 

In an interview with Vatican Media, the Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo, Bishop Hanna Jallouf, O.F.M, discusses the recent explosion of mass violence against remnants of the former Assad regime in the embattled nation, which led to the killing of more than 1,300 people, including women and children, and mass forced displacement of Alawite civilians.

Read all

 

Pope Francis had a restful night and is continuing his treatment and physical therapy, the Holy See Press Office said on Tuesday, the day after the Pope's doctors said his prognosis was no longer guarded even if he requires more time in the hospital.

Read all

 

From Rome's Gemelli Hospital where the Holy Father is recovering, Pope Francis expresses his closeness to all those suffering from the devastating floods which claimed lives and caused massive damage to the Argentinian port city of Bahía Blanca, and prays the Lord offers comfort to all those suffering.

Read all

 

The Holy See Press Office says that recent improvements in the Pope’s health situation “have been further consolidated”, but notes that he will need to remain in hospital for some time still. The Pope participates via video-link in both the morning and the afternoon sessions of the Curia’s spiritual exercises.

Read all

 

Ukraine says it plans to use upcoming talks with the US in Saudi Arabia to propose a ceasefire in the air and at sea.

Read all

 

The Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap, delivers the third reflection for the 2025 Spiritual Exercises of the Roman Curia, which is focused on the theme: “The first death.” Here is a summary:

Read all

 

According to the latest data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) imports of major arms by states in Europe have more than doubled in 2020-2024, while U.S. arms exports have further increased.

Read all

 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis is no longer considered in imminent danger from his lung infection, but he will remain in Rome's Gemelli hospital for several more days to continue receiving medical treatment, the Vatican said. 

The improvements in the 88-year-old pope's condition recorded in the previous days "have been further consolidated" and were confirmed by the results of blood tests and his positive response to drug therapy, the Vatican said in its evening medical bulletin March 10. 

Doctors had previously noted "a good response to therapy" March 8, adding that his gas exchanges -- the intake of oxygen and output of carbon dioxide -- had improved and that blood tests showed his condition to be stable.

While his doctors' prognosis for the pope was "guarded" for more than three weeks after he was hospitalized Feb. 14, they lifted that designation March 10, indicating he was no longer in imminent danger from the infection that hospitalized him. He was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia Feb. 18.

A man prays for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican March 10, 2025. Because senior Vatican officials are on their Lenten retreat in the Vatican audience hall, the rosary was recited three hours earlier than usual and people in the square followed the prayer on video screens. (CNS photo/Pablo Esparza)

However, due to the severity of the infection and the complexity of his condition, doctors determined that "it will be necessary to continue, for additional days, medical drug therapy in a hospital setting," the bulletin said.

The pope followed by video parts of the Roman Curia's Lenten retreat both March 9 and 10, the bulletin said, and he received the Eucharist before praying in the chapel of his hospital suite. 

"In the afternoon he again joined the Curia's spiritual exercises, following by video connection," it said. "During the day he alternated between prayer and rest."

No new images of the pope have been seen in more than three weeks, but the Vatican shared an audio message from the pope March 6 in which, with labored breath, he thanked the faithful for their prayers for his health. 

The Vatican press office confirmed that while the pope watched the main talks of the Curia retreat, participants meeting in the Vatican audience hall could not see images of the pope.

The Curia's retreat March 9-14 focused on the theme "The Hope of Eternal Life," which was chosen weeks prior to the pope's hospitalization, the Vatican press office said.

Despite his hospitalization, Pope Francis was preparing to mark two significant milestones: 67 years since entering the Society of Jesus March 11 and 12 years since his election as pope March 13.

Heavy rains and a time change led to a smaller gathering of faithful in St. Peter's Square on March 10 to pray for the pope's recovery. The rosary, typically prayed in the late evening, was moved to 6 p.m. Rome time to coincide with the Curia's spiritual exercises.

Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family, and Life, led the rosary, following a meditation by Capuchin Father Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the papal household.

Reflecting on the theme of eternal life, Father Pasolini said, "We realize that, yes, death happens to us, but something much more important happens to us: life, and this is the gift of eternal life."

"This is what we must convert our attention and our hearts to," he continued. "Not to the fact that we are dead and will die, but to the fact that we are alive and will live because of God's promise."