OSV News

Thousands gathered for a massive Mass outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires to remember the life and legacy of Pope Francis, whose ministry as archbishop in the Argentine capital of taking the church to the peripheries and prioritizing the poor became a template for his pontificate.

You can read the English translation of the prepared text of the homily, delivered in Italian by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, April 26 at the Vatican.

Pope Francis' solemn funeral Mass will be broadcast and livestreamed by multiple media outlets April 26, providing several ways people can watch and participate in the funeral from around the world.

"How I would like a church that is poor and that is for the poor," Pope Francis told journalists March 16, 2013, three days after his election. St. Francis, he said, was "the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation."

While the fruits of the reforms made throughout his 12-year papacy are yet to be determined, what can't be denied is his pastoral approach that tried to place victims at the heart of the church's response to clergy sexual abuse.

Francis' devotion to San Lorenzo de Almagro isn't just a nostalgic footnote — it's a window into the soul of a pope who knew what it meant to love fiercely, hope deeply and stay loyal — win or lose.

The history of this church is rooted in the role of Mary as the Mother of God. Its story begins with a fourth-century legend.

In this cartoon by Joe Heller, Pope Francis continues to lead, his way.

Legislation that would require clergy to report child abuse or neglect in Washington state was recently approved by the Legislature and has been sent to Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson for his signature.

In a joyful milestone for the church and lovers of sacred art, Pope Francis declared famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí venerable April 14, recognizing his heroic virtues in a decree announced during a Vatican audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro. Best known for designing Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, Gaudí dedicated over 40 years of his life to the masterpiece, now seen as both a symbol of faith and an icon of transcendent beauty.

Catholic leaders and public officials condemned violence and called for peace after an alleged arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor's mansion in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In a statement, Bishop Timothy Senior of Harrisburg called the attack a "heinous act" that "struck at the very heart of our shared values as a society."

For the second year in a row, few foreign pilgrims were in attendance at the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives into the Old City of Jerusalem due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. But even the gray skies that threatened rain didn't dampen the spirit of the 4,000 participants.

Several religious goods industry professionals told OSV News they're not yet sure how the Trump administration's new tariffs will impact their business operations — and the consumers who patronize their firms.

In a world economy rocked by the whiplash of American trade tariffs that has spared few countries, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Jubilee USA Network, an interfaith development group, have a proposition for President Donald Trump: Forgive some debts.

The Supreme Court issued a ruling April 7 allowing the Trump administration to continue to deport migrants accused of gang membership using a wartime powers law for now, overturning a lower court that had paused such deportations.

In an effort to blunt criticism of the poor air quality in Beijing prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Chinese government implemented ambitious measures to curb air pollution. The result was not exactly shocking to Kimberly Terrell, a research scientist and director of community engagement at the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic: Community and maternal health improved.

As Ukraine experienced a deadly weekend with a barrage of attacks from Russia on Kryvyi Rih and Kyiv, the capital, the papal almoner handed a gift from Pope Francis — four ambulances — to local authorities in Zaporizhzhia. The papal point man on charity was also personally distributing bread to the needy population during his 10th mission to the war-torn country.

As the Trump administration moved to formally dissolve the U.S. Agency for International Development, Catholic Relief Services, the overseas charitable arm of the Catholic Church in the U.S., has advocated for U.S. foreign aid to continue on a new path shaped by Catholic principles.

The French bishops' conference is entering a new era under Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, following his election as president. This transition comes after years of focus on abuse reform and safeguarding.

The U.S. bishops' conference said it would not renew its cooperative agreements with the federal government related to children's services and refugee support, after its government partnerships in those areas became "untenable."