Vatican News & Updates

World 23 hours ago

IDF confirms 'incident' at Gaza church after patriarch says 2 Christian women killed, convent bombed

The Latin Patriarch claims the IDF attacked Holy Family Parish in Gaza, killing two Christian women inside the church and striking a convent caring for the disabled with a rocket.

World 23 hours ago

Vatican court sentences Cardinal Becciu to prison for embezzlement, abuse of office

Cardinal Angelo Becciu received his sentence Saturday after being found guilty on multiple counts of financial misconduct by the Tribunal of Vatican City State.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Vatican clarifies single mothers can receive communion: 'Walk with your head held high'

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith clarified to a bishop in the Dominican Republic that single mothers are not to be excluded from Holy Communion.

World 23 hours ago

Pope Francis warns AI exploited by 'technocratic systems' could 'pose a risk to our survival'

Pope Francis warned against unethical development of artificial intelligence technologies in his statement ahead of the 57th annual World Day of Peace on Jan. 1.

World 23 hours ago

Pope Francis says he will not be buried in Vatican, has prepared a grave in Basilica of St. Mary Major

Pope Francis said he has no plans to retire from the papacy, but has already prepared a grave for himself outside the traditional papal tombs of the Vatican grotto.

World 23 hours ago

Pope Francis says ‘lure of corruption’ is constant threat in the Vatican

Pope Francis warned the Vatican's Office of the Auditor General on Monday that the "lure of corruption" in the Roman Curia requires constant vigilance.

Lifestyle 23 hours ago

On this day in history, December 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi sends first transatlantic radio message

Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transatlantic radio transmission on Dec. 12, 1901, ushering in an era of communications. His invention helped save 700 Titanic passengers.

World 23 hours ago

Funeral held for Indi Gregory, infant forced off life support in UK: 'True warrior'

Indi Gregory, the infant forced off life support by the United Kingdom's court system last month, was laid to rest Friday at a Cathedral in Nottingham, England.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Pope Francis' illness revealed to be 'very acute infectious bronchitis'

Pope Francis announced Thursday that he is afflicted with “very acute infectious bronchitis" to an audience at the “Ethics in Health Management" seminar held at the Vatican.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Pope Francis confirms punishing conservative US cardinal: report

Pope Francis confirmed to a papal biographer that he revoked the pension and Vatican apartment of conservative U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke.

World 23 hours ago

Pope Francis makes first appearance since canceling UN climate summit trip: 'I am not well'

Pope Francis made his first public appearance at the Vatican on Wednesday since he canceled his overseas trip to the COP28 United Nations climate conference in Dubai.

U.S. 23 hours ago

Pope punishes conservative US Cardinal Burke in second action against American dignitaries

Pope Francis has decided to strip the conservative American cardinal, Raymond Burke, of his salary and subsidized Vatican apartment, according to two Vatican insiders.

World 23 hours ago

Vatican insiders claim Pope Francis poised to punish conservative US cardinal

Vatican insiders are claiming Pope Francis intends to take punitive measures against U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke under accusations of spreading "disunity."

World 23 hours ago

Vatican blocks doctrinal changes on homosexual relationships, female priests

The Vatican issued a letter to the German Bishops' Conference last month blocking attempts to alter doctrine on homosexual relationships and female ordination.

World 23 hours ago

Hostage families rebuke journalists' 'false equivalence' between Israel, Hamas at Vatican press conference

Tensions were high during a Vatican press conference where families of Israeli hostages clashed with the press over "false equivalence" between Israel and Hamas.

VIDEO 23 hours ago

Hostage families push back on journalists' 'false equivalence' between Israel, Hamas

Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas spoke with the press Wednesday after meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (Credit: APTN)

Lifestyle 23 hours ago

US bishops approve request for Vatican to add Mother Teresa's feast day to calendar: 'Example of holiness'

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is hoping that the Vatican will move to further honor Mother Teresa by adding her feast day to the General Roman Calendar.

World 23 hours ago

Pope to meet Israeli hostages’ families, Palestinian refugees

Pope Francis is planning to meet with Israeli hostage families and displaced Palestinian refugees at the Vatican next week. The visit follows a general audience at the Vatican.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Vatican reaffirms 'grave sin' of Freemasonry, says Catholics cannot join the world's largest secret society

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith has reaffirmed that Catholics cannot join Freemasonic secret societies and that doing so is a "grave sin."

Politics 23 hours ago

March for Life president reacts to infant Indi Gregory's mandated removal from life support in UK

March for Life President Jeanne Mancini mourned the government-mandated removal of infant Indi Gregory from life support in the U.K., which she called a pro-life issue.

World 23 hours ago

UK infant baptized before being forced off life support, father says 'the devil' was in the courtroom

Indi Gregory, the U.K. infant who was forced off life support by the British government, was baptized by her formerly non-religious father before her death.

World 23 hours ago

UK judges double down on mandate to pull infant off life support, denies parents' appeal to take baby to Italy

Judges in the United Kingdom have doubled-down on a mandate to pull life-support from 8-month-old Indi Gregory, against the wishes of her parents.

World 23 hours ago

Terminally ill UK baby gets more time to live as parents fight judge to bring her to Vatican hospital

Indi Gregory, an 8-month-old in the United Kingdom mandated by a judge to be taken off life support, has gained some time through an appeal process hoping to overturn the ruling.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Vatican approves transgender people receiving baptism, becoming godparents

The Vatican released a document Wednesday affirming that individuals with gender identity disorders are allowed to receive baptism and serve as witness at weddings.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Catholic priests identifying as 'liberal' or 'progressive' have 'all but vanished' from seminaries: study

Catholic priests are rapidly trending toward conservative political views and orthodox theology, according to a study from the Catholic University of America.

World 23 hours ago

Pope Francis reaffirms priesthood is 'reserved for men,' cannot be changed to include women

Pope Francis once again squashes activists' hopes for female ordination to the priesthood in a Spanish-language book released in Italian this week.

World 23 hours ago

Nicaragua sends 12 imprisoned Roman Catholic priests to Italy in agreement with the Vatican

A dozen imprisoned Roman Catholic priests in Nicaragua has been stripped of their citizenship and sent to Rome, Italy, in an agreement reached with the Vatican.

World 23 hours ago

Catholic cardinal in Jerusalem offers himself to Hamas in exchange for children held hostage in Gaza

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top papal respresentative in Jerusalem, said he'll do "anything" to bring "those children back home" from Gaza.

World 23 hours ago

Israeli foreign minister expects clear, unequivocal condemnation from Vatican over Hamas' attack: reports

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen issued harsh wards toward Vatican officials for not condemning the Hamas-led attacks on Israel resulting in over 1,200 deaths on Oct. 7, 2023.

World 23 hours ago

Vatican offers to mediate Israel-Gaza conflict, negotiate hostage release

Vatican City Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said Saturday that the Holy See is prepared to mediate peace talks between Israel and Hamas.

Faith & Values 23 hours ago

Pope affirms Israel has 'right' to 'defend themselves,’ mourns innocents in Gaza

Pope Francis affirmed Israel's right to defend itself during a general audience but mourned the loss of innocent life in Gaza as well