17/03/2013 11:55 pm
Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday in the parish church of Vatican City, dedicated to St Anne, the mother of Our Lady. “He has come for us,” said Pope Francis in his homily, “when we recognise that we are sinners... Mercy is the Lord’s most powerful message.”
Read More16/03/2013 12:55 pm
Pope Francis met with professional communicators on Saturday, receiving them in audience in the Paul VI Hall, the lobby of which had been converted into a media centre serving the more than 5,000 thousand journalists accredited with the Press Office of the Holy See during the Papal transition.
Read More15/03/2013 6:00 pm
The new Pope is named after the much-loved Italian saint, St Francis of Assisi, who was born in 1181.
Read More15/03/2013 12:55 pm
Pope Francis met on Friday with the College of Cardinals in the Clementine Hall. It was his first meeting with the full College of Cardinals. On Thursday evening, he celebrated Mass ending the Conclave with the Cardinals under 80 who participated in the election of the Pope.
Read More15/03/2013 12:10 pm
The Bishop who oversees the work of evangelisation in England and Wales is inviting Catholics to share joy on 19 March, the day that Pope Francis celebrates his inauguration.
Read More14/03/2013 10:03 pm
The newly-elected Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the College of Cardinals on Thursday, in the Sistine Chapel and preached his first homily. "I would like that all of us, after these days of grace, might have the courage - the courage - to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Cross of the Lord: to build the Church on the Blood of the Lord, which is shed on the Cross, and to profess the one glory, Christ Crucified. In this way, the Church will go forward."
Read More14/03/2013 8:55 pm
The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has celebrated a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving for our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Mass took place in Westminster Cathedral at 5.30pm on Thursday 14 March.
Read More14/03/2013 3:00 pm
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales: "It is a remarkable and very exciting moment. I think it's wonderful that the Church can come up with such a surprise and absolutely hold the world's attention and put somebody there who is really going to bring something fresh to the papacy."
Read More14/03/2013 2:35 pm
Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor said the Catholic Church has been very blessed with the election of Pope Francis. He is a humble, kind and gentle man, and will bring a new style to leadership in the Church.
Read More14/03/2013 9:48 pm
Pope Francis is an early riser and surprised the Romans on the very first morning of his pontificate by visiting, at 8.15 am, local time, one of Rome's Major Basilicas, Saint Mary Major. The Pope came bearing a floral homage.
Read More14/03/2013 2:20 pm
Bishop Michael Campbell, who is currently in Rome, has expressed, on behalf of the faithful of the Diocese of Lancaster, great joy and delight at the election of Pope Francis I and pledges the love and prayers of the Catholic community of Lancashire and Cumbria as the new Holy Father assumes the responsibilities of the Successor of St. Peter.
Read More14/03/2013 1:20 pm
Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of The Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said: "I express my heartfelt joy shared with our Catholic brethren around the world on the appointment of Pope Francis I. We pray God’s joy and blessing upon our sister Catholic Church as it embraces its new father and shepherd, and we also pray for His Holiness as he commences this sacred ministry, strengthened and overshadowed by the grace of God."
Read More14/03/2013 12:50 pm
On behalf of all the clergy and laity of the Diocese of Portsmouth, I am absolutely delighted to welcome our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. We are profoundly grateful to God for the gift of this great and holy man to the Church to lead us as 265th Successor of St. Peter. We pray for him and express to him our deep loyalty and fidelity.
Read More14/03/2013 1:05 pm
The election of Pope Francis is a moment it great joy for the whole Church and, on behalf of everyone in the Bishopric of the Armed Forces, I express support and assurance of prayer for Pope Francis as he takes up the immense responsibilities of the Papacy.
Read More13/03/2013 8:50 pm
The Diocese of East Anglia is delighted to welcome Pope Francis on his election. As part of the Universal Church we have been waiting prayerfully for this moment since the departure of Pope Benedict on 28 February 2013. We now have a new Pope, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who has taken the name of Francis, a saint noted for his simplicity of life and love of the poor and of the world in which we live.
Read More13/03/2013 8:00 pm
The Most Revd George Stack, Archbishop of Cardiff, has welcomed the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis I and said he can be assured of the prayers of the whole Archdiocese of Cardiff.
Read More13/03/2013 11:36 pm
Fr Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See's Press Office, revealed the date of the Mass for Inauguration of Petrine Ministry of Francis in an impromptu press briefing. It will take place on Tuesday, 19 March at 8.30am (UK time).
Read More13/03/2013 8:25 pm
Let us begin this journey, the Bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood . My hope is that this journey of the Church that we begin today, together with help of my Cardinal Vicar, be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.
Read More13/03/2013 6:25 pm
A short biography of the 266th Pope and leader of the Catholic Church - Pope Francis.
Read More13/03/2013 7:25 pm
On behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, I wish to express my great joy at the news of the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., as the 265th Successor of St Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.
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