Josephine McKenna

• Pope Francis: The Devil is Real and Don’t Underestimate Him
  As millions of revelers around the world dress in ghoulish costumes to mark Halloween and the darker side of life, Pope Francis warned that the devil is no myth and must be fought strenuously with...
  Friday, October 31, 2014
• Pope Francis Thanks Exorcists for Showing ‘Love’ to the Possessed
  Just in time for Halloween and against an unspecified “steady increase” of demonic possession, Pope Francis thanked exorcists for showing the church’s “love for those possessed” by the devil.
  Wednesday, October 29, 2014
• Pope Francis: ‘Evolution...Is Not Inconsistent with the Notion of Creation’
  Pope Francis on Monday (Oct. 27) waded into the controversial debate over the origins of human life, saying the big bang theory did not contradict the role of a divine creator, but even required...
  Tuesday, October 28, 2014
• Bishops’ Debate over Gays: Lost in Translation?
  The tug-of-war at the Vatican over calls for the Catholic Church to be more open to gays and cohabiting couples intensified Thursday.
  Friday, October 17, 2014
• Catholic Church Must Welcome ‘Unconventional Couples,’ Says Top Italian Bishop
  The Catholic Church should make “unconventional couples” feel at home, the leader of the Italian Bishops Conference and an ally of Pope Francis said this week.
  Friday, August 29, 2014
• Pope to Iraqi President: ‘I Appeal to You with My Heart Full of Pain’
  Pope Francis wrote to the president of Iraq, calling for an end to the “brutal suffering of Christians and other religious minorities” and urging political leaders to end the humanitarian crisis in...
  Friday, August 22, 2014
• China to Pope Francis: Don’t ‘Interfere’ with Religion
  China has reacted cautiously to a bid by Pope Francis to open new dialogue with Beijing, with some officials quick to warn the Vatican not to “interfere” with the country’s religion.
  Thursday, August 21, 2014
• 5 Things to Know about Pope Francis’ Visit to South Korea
  When Pope Francis’ plane touches down in Seoul on Thursday (Aug. 14), it will mark his third trip abroad, after visits to Brazil and the Middle East.
  Thursday, August 14, 2014
• On Iraq, Pope Francis’ Message of Peace Meets Reality of War
  As he dispatches a top aide to war-torn Iraq this week, Pope Francis made his most impassioned plea yet for the world to halt the “slaughter” of Christians and other religious minorities by Islamic...
  Tuesday, August 12, 2014
• Pope Sends Envoy to Iraq to Deliver Message of Support and Aid Embattled Christians
  Pope Francis is dispatching Cardinal Fernando Filoni as his personal envoy to northern Iraq, where Islamist militias have sent thousands of Christians and other religious minorities fleeing for...
  Monday, August 11, 2014
• Vatican: Abandoned Down Syndrome Baby is Victim of ‘Throwaway’ Culture
  The Vatican warned Wednesday (Aug. 6) that the alleged rejection of a baby born with Down syndrome to a surrogate mother in Thailand shows how babies have become consumer products for sale.
  Thursday, August 7, 2014
• Meriam Ibrahim, Freed from Sudan, Plans to Settle in New Hampshire
  Meriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese Christian who was flown to Rome after her death sentence was overturned, is now dreaming of building a future in the U.S.
  Monday, July 28, 2014
• Vatican Editor Says England’s Female Bishops Vote ‘Complicates’ Relations
  The Church of England’s vote to allow female bishops threatens unity with the Catholic Church, according to the editor of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.
  Wednesday, July 16, 2014
• Pope Francis: End the ‘Racist and Xenophobic’ Approach to Migrants along U.S.-Mexico Border
  Pope Francis waded into the controversy of the unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, pushing the U.S. to offer greater protection for young children entering the country...
  Wednesday, July 16, 2014
• Vatican’s UN Envoy Says Bishop’s Defrocking Shows Church Takes Abuse Seriously
  The defrocking of a former Vatican ambassador is a “sign of the seriousness” with which Pope Francis and the Vatican are approaching the clergy sexual abuse scandal.
  Thursday, July 3, 2014
• Italian Archbishop Calls for 10-year Ban on Godparents to Stop Mafia Infiltration
  An archbishop in southern Italy has proposed a 10-year ban on naming godparents at baptisms and confirmations as a way to stop the Mafia from spreading its influence.
  Thursday, July 3, 2014
• Italian Priest Charged with Soliciting Sexual Favors from Desperate Refugees
  The Catholic Church in Italy is facing an embarrassing scandal after the arrest of a priest accused of demanding sexual favors from immigrants seeking political asylum in Sicily.
  Thursday, June 26, 2014
• Is Pope Francis Sick, Or Just Taking a Summer Break?
  Pope Francis’ abrupt decision to cancel his popular morning Mass and general audiences for the month of July has provoked fresh speculation about the health of the 77-year-old pontiff.
  Thursday, June 19, 2014