Pope Francis urges Egypt imams to teach and preach tolerance, peace

CAIRO -- Pope Francis urged Egypt's leading imams on Friday to teach their students to reject violence in God's name and preach messages of peace and tolerance instead, forging ahead with a delicate visit to the Arab world's most populous country following a spate of deadly Islamic militant attacks against Christians.Francis arrived to a subdued welcome and a heavy police presence at Cairo's international airport.

Pope Francis on Easter: Cling to faith amid wars and hatred

VATICAN CITY — In an impromptu Easter Sunday speech, Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged people to hold fast in their "fearful hearts" to faith despite all the wars, sickness and hatred in the world, acknowledging that many wonder where God is amid so much evil and suffering.Tens of thousands of faithful braved heavy security checks — and, later, a brief downpour from what had been sunny skies — to enter St.

Pope Francis on Palm Sunday decries suffering from war, terrorism

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Sunday decried a deadly attack on a Coptic church in Egypt during Palm Sunday celebrations, just weeks before his planned visit to Cairo.The pontiff expressed his "deep condolences" to the Coptic patriarch, Tawadros II, calling him "my brother," to the Coptic church and "all of the dear Egyptian nation," and said he was praying for the dead and injured in the attack that occurred just hours earlier as Francis himself was marking Palm Sunday in St.

Prince Charles to Pope Francis: It's impossible to know what to get you

VATICAN CITY — Prince Charles has given Pope Francis a picnic basket full of tea and chocolate, sheepishly admitting "It's impossible to know what to get Your Holiness!"Charles and his wife, Camilla, offered the gift at the end of a half-hour meeting Tuesday at the Vatican, the fourth day of their Brexit-inspired charm offensive to reassure Britain's allies.

Pope Francis open to studying ordination of married men as priests

BERLIN — Pope Francis says the church must study whether it's possible to ordain married men to minister in remote communities facing priest shortages.In an interview published Thursday with Germany's Die Zeit, Francis stressed that removing the celibacy rule is not the answer to the Catholic Church's priest shortage.

Priests from Milwaukee, Burlington appointed by Pope Francis as "Auxiliary Bishops"

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee native Father Jeffrey Haines and Burlington native Father James Schuerman have been appointed by Pope Francis as Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.According to a release from Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki, the appointments were announced in Rome, on January 25th.The two priests will be ordained bishops by Archbishop Listecki at the Cathedral of St.

Pope Francis wishes Christmas peace to those scarred by war

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has wished Christmas peace for people scarred by wars and those who lost loved ones to terrorism that he says is sowing "fear and death" in many cities and countries.Speaking from the central balcony of St.

Pope Francis gets Cubs hat, baseball from Chicago archbishop

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis now has a blue Chicago Cubs hat to go with his traditional white skull cap.Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich presented Francis with the hat and what looks like a signed baseball at the Vatican on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the Cubs won their first World Series since 1908.Cupich shared a photo of Francis holding the items on Twitter.