VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis told thousands of children who gathered at the Vatican on Friday, July 7, that he did not want to be the head of the Church before his election.

“Someone who wants, who has the desire to be pope, doesn’t love themselves, but I didn’t want to be pope,” he said at a June 7 meeting in Paul VI audience hall.

“Do you know what it means if someone doesn’t love themselves very much [who think of others]?” he asked the 7,000 children from Jesuit-run schools in Italy and Albania in response to a girl’s question.

The students were accompanied by their teachers and family members, as well as alumni of the schools, on the trip to the Vatican.

Pope Francis chose...READ MORE

VATICAN CITY — Breaking with the practice of his predecessors, Pope Francis will not take a long summer vacation and will stay in Rome, just making short trips to Castel Gandolfo.

In two announcements issued by the Vatican on June 6, the pontifical household shed light on the Pope’s summer plans.

Though he will make at least a one-day visit to Castel Gandolfo, the pontifical residence 15 miles outside of Rome, Pope Francis will continue living at St. Martha’s House during the summer.

He will lead the Angelus at Castel Gandolfo on July 14, prior to spending the last week of the month in Brazil for World Youth Day.

While Pope Francis’ decision is in keeping with his practice in...READ MORE

Valedictorian Breaks Rules, Recites Our Father by Tristyn K. Bloom - BigPulpit.com

Turning the Problem of Evil On Its Head – Joe Heschmeyer, Strange Notions

Father Ranger – Donald R. McClarey JD, The American Catholic

Is Lying Ever Justified? - Scott P. Richert, Crisis Magazine

Neuroscientists Scooped By Catholic Church – Stacy Trasancos PhD

Pope Francis Renews His Appeal for Peace in Syria – The Catholic Herald

Protecting Life in a Neonatal Wing – Melanie J. Juneau, Catholic Stand

Corpus Christi Procession at Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini – Greggory DiPippo, New Liturgical Movement

Quæritur: Does Registering in a Parish Mean Anything? – Fr. Z’s Blog

Why Progressives...READ MORE

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s been a rough period for Church leaders in Minnesota, where the state legislature approved the legalization of same-sex “marriage,” despite a two-year Church-led campaign of education and prayer.

But Archbishop John Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and other Minnesota bishops have not retreated from public engagement on the intertwined issues of life, marriage and religious freedom.

If anything, their sense of urgency has only intensified, with Catholic nonprofits facing an Aug. 1 deadline for compliance with the federal contraception mandate and the U.S. Supreme Court about to issue rulings on two landmark marriage cases that could directly...READ MORE

Survey of Priests on New Translation is Inaccurate via Fr. Z’s Blog - BigPulpit.com

The Remarkable Story of Jacob’s Conversion – Monsignor Charles Pope, Archdiocese of Washington

The Boy Scouts: Newly “Out and Proud” – Mary Rice Hasson, Catholic Stand

Solemn Profession at Farnborough Abbey - Charles Cole, New Liturgical Movement

Love Conquers Death (Luke 7:11-17) - Fr. John Bartunek LC, Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction

Catholicism Must Be a Sign of Contradiction - James Kalb, Crisis Magazine

Pop Music as a Nauseating Attempt at Eternity (With Goats) – Marc Barnes, Bad Catholic

The Cult of Social Justice and the Idolatry in Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ – Saint Etheldreda's Place

...READ MORE

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The religious sisters of the social-justice activist organization Network have hit the road again with their second “Nuns on the Bus” tour, this time touting immigration reform, an issue on which they and the U.S. bishops strongly agree.

In contrast to last summer’s tour, which coincided and appeared to compete with the U.S. bishops’ “Fortnight for Freedom,” the nuns and the bishops are on the same page this time, standing behind the “Gang of 8” immigration bill.

Last summer, while the bishops sought to spotlight religious-liberty concerns about the Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate, the sisters from the social-justice lobby were turning their...READ MORE

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said that it is urgent to focus on people and not just on nature on World Environment Day.

“The human person is in danger, this is certain; the human person is in danger today. Here is the urgency of human ecology!” exclaimed Pope Francis June 5 during his general audience.

“We are called not only to respect the natural environment, but also to show respect for, and solidarity with, all the members of our human family,” he told the estimated 70,000 pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis told the crowd that people are often driven by the pride of dominating things, having possessions and manipulation and exploitation.

“We do not care...READ MORE

ROME — An expert on dealing with sexual-abuse cases within the Church says prevention guidelines being developed with Vatican oversight should vary from country to country.

“We’ve realized learning habits and how people respond to some questionnaires and comply to rules varies from country to country,” said Father Hans Zollner, a German Jesuit who heads the Gregorian University’s Centre for Child Protection.

“It is most interesting and most inspiring to see this across the different cultures,” Father Zollner told Catholic News Agency June 5.

He explained that some guidelines should apply to all countries equally, since “sexual abuse is sexual abuse, no matter what.”

“But in the...READ MORE