Vatican

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  Pope Francis institutes Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

  Mar 25, 2014

  Pope Francis has instituted the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The body’s creation was announced in December following a meeting of the Council of Cardinals, the eight-member group that advises and assists in the Pope in the governance of the universal Church.

  
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  When Pope Francis meets Obama, expect collaboration over conflict

  Mar 24, 2014

  U.S. President Barack Obama is to meet Pope Francis for the first time March 27 as Obama wraps up a European tour, a high-profile encounter between two major world leaders that appears to carry especially high stakes from the U.S. perspective.

  
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  Upcoming day of reconciliation announced by Pope

  Mar 24, 2014

  During his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis announced that March 29-30 would be “24 hours for the Lord,” during which people can find special opportunities for prayer and the sacrament of confession.

  
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  Pope Francis: God’s Word lives through humility, prayer

  Mar 24, 2014

  Pope Francis warned against trying to co-opt the Word of God for one’s own purposes as did the Pharisees, urging prayer and humility instead, in his homily for Friday’s Mass.

  

• Pope prays for the 239 people aboard MH370

  Mar 21, 2014

  Pope Francis on Sunday March 16, asked people to pray for the passengers and crew of the Malaysian Airlines plane that left Kuala Lumpur airport for Beijing on 8 March but disappeared, and for their families.

  

• Pope Francis will succeed in reforming Roman Curia

  Mar 21, 2014

  Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has discussed the reform of the Roman Curia being carried out by Pope Francis, saying he trusts that it will be completed effectively.

  

• Mercy comes first in our approach to the divorced/remarried

  Mar 21, 2014

  Looking forward to the October meeting of the Synod of Bishops, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Family said that the status of Catholics who are divorced and remarried “should be looked at with a merciful eye.”

  

• First official audience with the blind, deaf

  Mar 21, 2014

  As the first pontiff to meet with those who are blind and deaf in an exclusive audience, Pope Francis will hold the gathering later this month – an encounter participants are highly anticipating.

  
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  Why the Pope has chosen to visit South Korea

  Mar 21, 2014

  Although Pope Francis has said he doesn’t really like to travel, he’s set to log some serious miles in 2014. He’s already bound for Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Jordan in late May, and on Mar 10 the Vatican announced the pontiff will also visit South Korea August 14-18.

  
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  Rely on God alone, Pope encourages in homily

  Mar 21, 2014

  Pope Francis drew on today’s readings from the Gospel of Luke and the Psalms to warn listeners against putting one’s faith in man or accomplishments, rather than God.