Cardinals celebrate the Novendiales Masses on the fourth day of mourning for Pope Francis on April 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 30, 2025 / 09:23 am (CNA).

The College of Cardinals on Wednesday called on Catholics around the world to pray for them as they prepare to enter the conclave next week to elect the next pope, acknowledging the “enormity of the task ahead” in choosing the next successor of Peter. 

The appeal came as the cardinals concluded their seventh general congregation — the daily meetings leading up to the start of the conclave on May 7. 

In a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the cardinals said they are “conscious of the responsibility to which they are called” and are relying on the prayers of the global Catholic community. 

“This is the true force that in the Church promotes the unity of all the members of the one body of Christ,” the statement said, citing 1 Corinthians 12:12. “Faced with the enormity of the task ahead and the urgency of the present time, it is first of all necessary to make ourselves humble instruments of the infinite wisdom and providence of our heavenly Father, in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.” 

The cardinals emphasized the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit in their deliberations and asked that the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany their prayers “with her maternal intercession.” 

Cardinal Becciu 

The cardinals on Wednesday also addressed two procedural matters, including the number of electors and the role of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who on Tuesday renounced his right to vote in the conclave. 

Becciu, the former deputy secretary of state, had previously insisted on his right to vote but stepped aside “to contribute to the communion and serenity of the conclave,” according to the Vatican statement.

The college expressed appreciation for his decision and said it hoped “the competent organs of justice will be able to definitively ascertain the facts.” 

Becciu resigned his cardinal privileges in 2020 amid accusations of financial misconduct and was convicted in December 2023 of embezzlement, aggravated fraud, and abuse of office. He has denied all wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction. 

More than 120 cardinal electors  

The cardinals also confirmed that Pope Francis had lawfully dispensed with the numerical limit of 120 electors previously established by St. John Paul II’s 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. While the document’s paragraph 33 capped the number of cardinal electors at 120, paragraph 36 of the constitution affirms that “a cardinal of holy Roman Church who has been created and published before the College of Cardinals thereby has the right to elect the pope.” 

The college noted that Pope Francis, in the exercise of his supreme authority, had created more than 120 cardinal electors, and those over the threshold may validly vote. The same precedent was set under Pope John Paul II, who in February 2001 allowed the number of cardinal electors to reach 135. 

As of now, 133 cardinal electors — those under the age of 80 — are expected to participate in the conclave. The Vatican confirmed Tuesday that two of the 135 eligible cardinal electors will not attend due to health reasons, though their names were not released at the time. 

Cardinals discuss Vatican finances 

The general congregation began at 9 a.m. on April 30 with 124 cardinal electors present. In the first part of the morning, the economic and financial situation of the Holy See was discussed. 

Cardinal Reinhard Marx presented challenges and proposals from the perspective of sustainability. Cardinal Kevin Farrell spoke about the Holy See’s investment activity, Cardinal Christoph  Schönborn spoke about the situation of the Vatican Bank, Cardinal Fernando Vergez about the activities of the Governorate, and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski spoke about the Dicastery for Charity. 

Fourteen other cardinals delivered interventions during the congregation touching on themes including the ecclesiology of the people of God, synodality and episcopal collegiality, vocations, and evangelization, according to the Vatican. 

The meeting ended at 12:30 p.m. with the prayer of the Regina Coeli. 

A time of discernment 

As the conclave approaches, the cardinals have emphasized that this is a time of grace and discernment for the Church. 

“The College of Cardinals gathered in Rome, engaged in the general congregations in preparation for the conclave, wishes to invite the people of God to live this ecclesial moment as an event of grace and spiritual discernment, listening to the will of God,” the statement read.  

“Indeed, [the Holy Spirit] is the protagonist of the life of the people of God, the One to whom we must listen, accepting what he is saying to the Church (cf. Rev 3:6).” 

The conclave will begin on May 7 in the Sistine Chapel with the cardinals voting in daily ballots until one man receives a two-thirds majority. 

Pope Francis during a general audience. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Apr 30, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

As the faithful of Buenos Aires bid farewell to Pope Francis with a symbolic embrace in the Plaza de Mayo after the heavily attended Mass celebrated by the local archbishop April 29, a familiar face appeared among the crowd. A male religious in a blue-gray habit crossed the Plaza de Mayo with a smile that has circulated on social media over the past week.

It was Brother Juan of the Community of the Lamb whose face went viral last week in a video recalling an emotion-laden moment with Pope Francis in Rome.

In the video posted by Upsocl, which lasts just a few seconds and has already drawn more than 2.3 million views, the Holy Father can be seen making his usual appearance after the general audience, greeting the people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

At one point, Pope Francis’ face changes to an expression of surprise, and then he briefly makes the gesture of placing his hand over his heart upon seeing a familiar face in the crowd. The video depicts that moment as “the day Pope Francis forgot he was pope” when he recognized his friend in the crowd.

That friend, with whom they could then be seen giving each other a big hug, is Brother Juan, who, as he told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, was celebrating his 50th birthday that day when he attended the general audience at the Vatican.

Upon seeing him, “the pope was surprised, and when I told him I was 50, that’s when he hugged me.”

Regarding the pope’s death, the priest, who had known Jorge Bergoglio since 1996, said: “I always had a great friendship with him, and now it’s time to put into practice what he taught us. We must continue.”

Regarding the celebrations and tributes, he acknowledged that “it’s all very emotional,” adding that the pope “loved Thérèse very much, so he will continue to do good from heaven,” in reference to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, one of the saints who inspires the charism of the Community of the Lamb, which is present in France, Argentina, Austria, Spain, the United States, and Poland.

A long friendship

In 1994, Bergoglio welcomed the community to Buenos Aires to found new small fraternities of brothers and sisters there. 

In 2002, at Bergoglio’s own initiative, the community settled on land adjacent to St. Joseph Carmelite Monastery in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Constitución, where the small monastery “Light of Nazareth” was built.

Such was the familiarity with this community that two days after his papal election, Francis, together with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, called together all the brothers and sisters of the Community of the Lamb who were in Rome.

On that occasion, March 15, 2013, he told them: “Thank you for what you do in the Church. John Paul II and Pope Benedict insisted that more than teachers, we need witnesses. You have a great capacity to be witnesses. Pure grace. Preserve it… That bearing witness to life; prayer, liturgy; that asking for bread, hitchhiking; that witness of poverty and joy… Because people love you… And in fact, I want to thank you.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Cardinals in Rome / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Staff, Apr 30, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Cardinals from around the world have made their way to the Vatican to participate in a centuries-old tradition known as a conclave — a meeting in which the College of Cardinals gathers to elect a new pope. 

The Catholic Church currently has 252 cardinals; however, only 135 of these cardinals can vote in the conclave because a cardinal must be younger than 80 years old to vote. 

Pope Francis during his pontificate appointed 108 of the 135 cardinal electors. There are 14 cardinals representing the United States and Canada  — 10 from the United States and four from Canada.

Here is a list of the cardinals from the U.S. and Canada taking part in the conclave:

United States

Cardinal Robert Prevost, OSA  

Prevost serves as the prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops and was the former superior general of the Order of St. Augustine. He also served as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023. Pope Francis made Prevost a cardinal in 2023. He is 69 years old. 

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo 

DiNardo is the former archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, serving the archdiocese from 2006 to Jan. 20, 2025. He was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. He is 75 years old. 

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke

Burke was bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for almost nine years and founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe during this time. He then spent four years as the archbishop of St. Louis. He was made a cardinal in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. From 2008 to 2014, he was the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He is 76 years old.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan 

Dolan has been serving as the archbishop of New York since 2009 and continues to do so at the age of 75. He was made a cardinal in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. 

Cardinal James Michael Harvey 

Harvey is the archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. He also served as the prefect of the Pontifical House for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, who appointed him a cardinal in 2012. He is 75 years old. 

Cardinal Blase Cupich 

Cupich has served as the archbishop of Chicago since 2014 and was made a cardinal in 2016 by Pope Francis. He is 76 years old.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin

Tobin has been the archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, since 2017 and is a member of the Redemptorist order. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016. He is 72 years old. 

Cardinal Wilton Gregory 

Gregory served as the archbishop of Washington, D.C., until Jan. 6, 2025. He became the first African American cardinal when Pope Francis appointed him in 2020. He is 77 years old.

Cardinal Robert McElroy

McElory succeeded Gregory as archbishop of Washington. He previously served as the bishop of San Diego. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022. He is 71 years old.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell  

Farrell serves as the camerlengo of the holy Roman Church and prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life. He also served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 2002 to 2007 and bishop of Dallas from 2007 to 2017. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016 and is 77 years old.

Canada

Cardinal Thomas Collins

Collins served as the archbishop of Toronto until 2023. In 2012, he was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. He is 78 years old.

Cardinal Gérald Lacroix, ISPX

Lacroix has served as archbishop of Quebec since 2011 and was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2014. He is 67 years old.

Cardinal Frank Leo

Leo has served as archbishop of Toronto since 2023. He was made a cardinal in 2024 by Pope Francis and is one of youngest cardinals at age 53. 

Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ

Czerny has served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development since 2022 and was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019. He is 78 years old.

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Cologne in Germany. / Credit: Marko Orlovic/German Bishops' Conference (DBK)

CNA Newsroom, Apr 30, 2025 / 01:08 am (CNA).

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, Germany, expects the upcoming papal conclave to last longer than the relatively brief gathering that elected Pope Francis in 2013, the German prelate revealed Tuesday in Rome.

“I hope for a short conclave, but I believe everything is possible,” Woelki told EWTN Germany Program Director Martin Rothweiler and CNA Deutsch Rome correspondent Rudolf Gehrig. “I expect it won’t go as quickly as the last conclave. But maybe I’ll be proven wrong. I would be happy about that.”

The 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis lasted just two days, making it one of the shortest in modern history.

Woelki, who is participating in his second conclave, described a “fraternal and cordial atmosphere” among the cardinals currently gathered in Rome for the general congregations — the pre-conclave meetings where cardinals discuss Church matters.

“Most of the cardinals haven’t seen each other for a long time, and many are happy and have been happy to see each other again. That was my experience too,” Woelki said.

The cardinal characterized the meetings as having “a very concentrated, calm, factual working atmosphere,” noting that despite differences in perspectives brought from various particular Churches with different cultures and mentalities, “there is simply good cooperation.”

According to Woelki, the cardinals are addressing “all the topics that are already of importance,” including evangelization and “that theological deepening must take place with regard to synodality and the relationship between synodality and hierarchy.”

The discussions also cover broader societal challenges, including increasing secularization, the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, ongoing wars, societal and political polarization, and concerns about democracy’s diminishing significance while autocracies appear to advance.

Woelki emphasized that the conclave is “not a Church-political event” but a “spiritual event” where cardinals seek “to identify the candidate, also in prayer and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord has appointed for this task.”

The cardinal is currently staying at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where all cardinals participating in the conclave will reside once it begins. With a touch of humor, Woelki admitted he hoped not to be reassigned rooms before the conclave, saying he was “too lazy, honestly, to pack everything again.”

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, delivers the homily during the fourth day of Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis on April 29, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 18:36 pm (CNA).

Editor’s Note: On April 29, 2025, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, delivered the following homily during the fourth day of Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis. The text below is a CNA working translation of the Italian original published by the Vatican.

The Gospel passage is well known. A grand scene with a universalistic character: All peoples, living together in the one field that is the world, are gathered before the Son of Man, seated on the throne of his glory to judge.

The message is clear: In the lives of all, believers and nonbelievers alike, there is a moment of discrimination; at a certain point some begin to share in the same joy of God, others begin to suffer the tremendous suffering of true loneliness, because, ousted from the kingdom, they remain desperately alone in their souls.

The Italian translation (CEI) speaks of sheep and goats to distinguish the two groups. The Greek, however, alongside the feminine próbata — flock, sheep — uses èrífia, which indicates primarily goats, the males of the species. Sheep, who do not rebel, are faithful, meek, take care of the lambs and the weakest of the flock, enter the realm prepared for them since the creation of the world; goats, who want independence, defy the shepherd and other animals with their horns, jump over the other goats as a sign of dominance, think of themselves and not the rest of the flock in the face of danger, are destined for eternal fire. It is natural to ask: On a personal and institutional level, which of the two styles do we embody?

Clearly, then, whether or not we belong to the kingdom of God does not depend on explicit knowledge of Christ: Lord, when did we see you hungry... thirsty... a stranger... naked... sick or in prison? In the Greek text, the verb “to see” is expressed by Matthew as òráo, which means to see deeply, to perceive, to understand. Paraphrasing: Lord, when did we “understand,” “detect,” “distinguish” you? Jesus’ answer suggests that it is not the profession of faith, theological knowledge or sacramental practice that guarantees participation in God’s joy, but qualitative and quantitative involvement in the human story of the least of our brothers and sisters. And the price of the human is the kingship of Jesus of Nazareth, who in his earthly life shared in all the weakness of our nature, even to the point of being rejected, persecuted, and crucified.

Ultimately, the parable of the Last Judgment manifests the secret on which the world stands: The Word became flesh, that is, “God wanted to make himself in solidarity with humanity to such an extent that whoever touches man touches God, whoever honors man honors God, whoever despises man despises God” (Elias Citterio).

Indeed, the parable reveals the supreme dignity of human acts, defined in relation to compassion, solidarity, tenderness, and closeness in humanity. I find in the verses with which Edith Bruck wished to bid farewell to Pope Francis (L’Osservatore Romano, April 23, 2025), the poetic expression of such humanity:

“We have lost a man who lives in me.

“A man who loved, was moved, wept, invoked peace, laughed, kissed, hugged, was moved and moved others, spread warmth.

“The love of people of all colors and everywhere rejuvenated him.

“Irony and wit made him wise.

“His humanity was contagious, softening even stones.

“To heal him from illnesses was his healthy faith rooted in heaven.”

“Christian humanity” makes the Church everyone’s home. How timely are Francis’ words spoken in conversation with the Jesuits in Lisbon in 2023: Everyone, everyone, everyone is called to live in the Church — never forget that!

As the Acts of the Apostles reports, Peter had clearly asserted this: Truly I am realizing that God shows no preference to any person but welcomes those who fear him and practice righteousness, whatever nation they belong to.

The passage in the first reading is the conclusion of Peter’s encounter with pagans, Cornelius and his family (Acts 10); an episode that — in a globalized, secularized age as thirsty for truth and love as ours — through Peter’s attitude points the way to evangelization: the unreserved openness to the human,  gratuitous interest in others, the sharing of experience and deepening to help every man and every woman give respect to life, to creaturely grace, and, when they see that it pleases God — St. Francis of Assisi would say (RegNB XVI, 43) — the proclamation of the Gospel, that is, the revelation of the divine humanity of Jesus in history, to call people to faith in Christ, “mad with love” for mankind, as teaches St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast day falls today in Italy. Then the full value of the profession of faith, sound theology, and the sacraments that enrich life in the spirit with every grace can unfold for all.

May Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord who gave the world the Savior, point us to the way of authentic discipleship and proclamation.

Cardinals participate in Day 4 of the Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis on April 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 18:06 pm (CNA).

The way to evangelization is “unreserved openness” to others, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, said on the fourth day of the Novendiales, the Church’s nine days of mourning for Pope Francis.

Gambetti, who is archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated the Mass for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul in the presence of the cardinals and the chapters of the four papal basilicas, which are groups of clergy entrusted with ensuring the liturgical and sacramental care of the basilicas.

The first reading at the Mass, held in St. Peter’s Basilica, was from the Acts of the Apostles and quotes Peter, who says: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

In a globalized, secular age that is thirsty for truth and love, Gambetti said, “Peter’s attitude points the way to evangelization: the unreserved openness to the human, gratuitous interest in others, the sharing of experience and deepening to help every man and every woman give respect to life, to creaturely grace, and, when they see that it pleases God — St. Francis of Assisi would say (RegNB XVI, 43) — the proclamation of the Gospel.”

The Gospel at the Mass was a passage in which Jesus tells his disciples that in his heavenly kingdom, the Son of Man will one day separate people, “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

The cardinal noted that sheep “do not rebel, [are] faithful, meek, take care of the lambs and the weakest of the flock,” while goats “want independence, defy the shepherd and other animals with their horns, jump over the other goats as a sign of dominance, think of themselves and not the rest of the flock in the face of danger.”

“On a personal and institutional level, which of the two styles do we embody?” Gambetti said, posing the question for reflection.

“Clearly, then, whether or not we belong to the kingdom of God does not depend on explicit knowledge of Christ: Lord, when did we see you hungry ... thirsty ... a stranger ... naked ... sick or in prison...? In the Greek text, the verb ‘to see’ is expressed by Matthew as òráo, which means to see deeply, to perceive, to understand. Paraphrasing: Lord, when did we ‘understand,’ ‘detect,’ ‘distinguish’ you?” the cardinal said.

“Jesus’ answer suggests that it is not the profession of faith, theological knowledge, or sacramental practice that guarantees participation in God’s joy but qualitative and quantitative involvement in the human story of the least of our brothers and sisters,” he added.

According to Gambetti, the parable of the Last Judgment “reveals the supreme dignity of human acts, defined in relation to compassion, solidarity, tenderness, and closeness in humanity.”

He said Pope Francis expressed such humanity and quoted from some poetic verses of the Hungarian-born Italian writer and Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck.

Bruck, who met and spoke with Pope Francis on several occasions, wrote a farewell to him in the April 23 edition of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

Quoting Bruck, Gambetti said:

“We have lost a man who lives in me.

“A man who loved, was moved, wept, invoked peace, laughed, kissed, hugged, was moved and moved others, spread warmth.

“The love of people of all colors and everywhere rejuvenated him.

“Irony and wit made him wise.

“His humanity was contagious, softening even stones.

“To heal him from illnesses was his healthy faith rooted in heaven.”

The nine days of Masses for Pope Francis will continue with the fifth day on April 30. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, will celebrate the Mass, which will include the Papal Chapel.

The College of Cardinals, in the midst of pre-conclave meetings called general congregations, will begin the conclave to choose Francis’ successor on May 7.

Pilgrims visit Rome for the Jubilee of People with Disabilities on Monday, April 28, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).

Thousands of people from more than 90 countries gathered in Rome this week to celebrate the Catholic Church’s Jubilee of People with Disabilities. 

Wheelchairs rolled across cobblestones and walking aids clicked on the marble floors of St. Peter’s Basilica as people with disabilities passed through the Holy Door for the Jubilee of Hope, entrusting their prayers to the Lord. 

“I pray for a better world, I pray for a world where inclusion becomes a normality,” 18-year-old Anna Maria Gargiulo from Perugia, Italy, told CNA. 

“I am blind from birth, but for me this is not a problem,” she added. “I experience it rather as a possibility, because I look at the world with different eyes.” 

More than 10,000 participants registered to take part in the April 28–29 event at the Vatican, which included an opportunity to have confessions heard by priests specifically trained to work with people with disabilities and time to adore the Lord in Eucharistic adoration. 

Among those who traveled to the jubilee was Davide Andreoli, 32, from Ferrara, Italy. Living with cerebral palsy, he made his pilgrimage with his family and spoke with joy about the experience: “It’s beautiful! You can see the jubilee, Piazza del Popolo, Rome, the Colosseum.” 

Andreoli shared how he made a confession before passing through the Holy Door offering a prayer for the late Pope Francis. 

“I pray to God. For our pope, Pope Francis,” he said. 

In St. Peter’s Square, families shared how faith helps them face life’s trials. Wanda Martena’s oldest son has special needs. She said: “Our family is a very close family, and we love each other very much and are happy. I have two children who are our jewels.” 

“We face everything with a smile,” her son, Alessandro, added. 

Michael Busuioc, a Romanian man with Parkinson’s disease, lives in the Vatican’s homeless shelter founded by Pope Francis. He recalled a powerful encounter with the pope last year during the World Day of the Poor.

“Pope Francis prayed for me. … I tell him, ‘Pray for me because I have a disease, Parkinson.’ He put the hand on my head and he prayed,” Busuioc recalled, showing a photo of him with the pope.  

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who is spearheading the Church’s jubilee year, offered Mass in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for the jubilee participants. He prayed that the late Pope Francis’ legacy would inspire mercy and inclusion to continue to flourish in the Church. 

Corina Ciunae, also from Romania, came to Rome with her scouting group. Passionate about communication, she emphasized the importance of visibility and dignity for people with disabilities. 

“The most important thing is that we are people like everyone and we do the same things — but yes, we need the a little bit of help. We need to be helped,” she said. 

“But together we can do all of the things we want to do and nothing is impossible. If you want to be somewhere to do something you can do, and the disability can’t stop you,” she said. 

Pope Francis with Missionaries of Charity in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sept. 15, 2022. / Credit: Pavel Mikheyev/Shutterstock

Lima Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:19 pm (CNA).

Since his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was already known for his humility, closeness to the poor, and an austere lifestyle that spoke louder than words.

In the 2013 documentary “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” the pontiff recalled that “Jesus, in the Gospel, tells us that we cannot serve two masters: Either we serve God or we serve riches. And the great temptation that Christians, humankind, and the Church have always faced throughout history has been that of riches.”

The following are some of the gestures of austerity and charity toward the most needy made by Pope Francis during his 12 years as pontiff.

1. He lived at St. Martha’s House.

Instead of moving into the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, as is customary for pontiffs, Pope Francis decided to reside in Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse — where he stayed during the March 2013 conclave — because he wanted to maintain a simple lifestyle close to the people.

In a handwritten letter to an Argentine priest, he explained: “I’m out where people can see and live a normal life: public Mass in the morning, eating in the dining room with everyone, etc. This is good for me and prevents me from becoming isolated.”

The pontiff also confessed that he didn’t want to live in the Apostolic Palace because he wished to maintain the same way of being he had as archbishop in Buenos Aires.

During a June 7, 2013, meeting with children in Paul VI Hall, a little girl named Sofía asked him directly why he didn’t live in the Apostolic Palace. The pontiff’s response was simple and convincing: “We all have to think about becoming a little poorer: We should all do it. We should ask ourselves: How can I become a little poorer to be more like Jesus, who was the poor teacher?”

2. He visited the sick in the hospital.

Pope Francis regularly visited children, parents, and doctors at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome. He also visited the children’s section of Gemelli Polyclinic, the same hospital where he himself received medical treatment.

An example of this was on March 19, 2022, when, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the pope visited Ukrainian children hospitalized at Bambino Gesù, expressing his closeness and solidarity with the victims of the conflict.

A year earlier, while recovering from surgery, Francis visited children with cancer in the pediatric oncology department of the same hospital. The visit was prompted by the letters and drawings the children sent him wishing him a speedy recovery.

3. He opted for a simple iron pectoral cross and a silver-gilt fisherman’s ring.

After being elected pope, Francis didn’t want to wear the gilded crucifix with precious stones as his predecessors had done and instead opted to wear a simpler iron pectoral cross, known as the “Cross of the Good Shepherd,” that he had worn since 1998 as archbishop of Buenos Aires. 

Likewise, the “fisherman’s ring,” a symbol of the pontificate that Francis wore starting with inaugural Mass on March 19, 2013, was not made of gold but of gilded silver. The design depicted St. Peter with his keys and was created by the Italian artist Enrico Manfrini. The choice of this model, among three options presented, once again reflected Pope Francis’ simplicity.

4. He wore his predecessor’s vestments as archbishop of Buenos Aires.

In a recent statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Marcelo Pivato, a close friend of Pope Francis, shared an anecdote that illustrates the pontiff’s humility. The story takes place during the time when Cardinal Antonio Quarracino was the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Pivato fondly recalled that, at the time, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, was known for his simplicity and austere lifestyle. He then recounted how, after Quarracino’s death, a curious incident arose involving vestments.

“When Cardinal Quarracino died, he was a robust, heavy man, and Pope Francis was very thin. During the Corpus Christi celebrations, the nuns who were serving at the archdiocesan office told him that he would need a vestment for the occasion, and Quarracino’s was the one that was left, but it was very large. So he said, ‘Well, bring me an estimate so they can make it.’ When he saw the figure, he asked the nuns, ‘Who knows how to sew?’ And some of them did. Then he told them, ‘Well, make Cardinal Quarracino’s vestment smaller for me.’”

5. Pope Francis always carried his black briefcase.

The image of Pope Francis with his signature black briefcase caught the eye on his first papal trip, during World Youth Day in Rio 2013, although a friend assured he had been using it since he was a priest.

That year, the Holy Father told reporters on the return flight to Rome that he has always carried his own briefcase. “When I travel, I take it with me. Inside, I carry my razor, my breviary, my date book, a book to read. I carry one about St. Thérèse, to whom I am devoted.”

Pivato recalled with humor and admiration the pontiff’s attachment to that briefcase since he was a priest in Buenos Aires.

“You’ll remember that he always carried a leather suitcase. The little black one. So one day I gave him a new one. I said, ‘Here, Father, I brought you a new suitcase, so you can get rid of the one that was used by a door-to-door linens collector in my grandmother’s time.’ Because, in truth, sheets were collected in installments before, and those little suitcases were used. Well, he never used it. He stuck with that one,” he told ACI Prensa.

6. He organized lunches to feed the poorest.

Pope Francis instituted the World Day of the Poor on Nov. 21, 2016, through his apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. With this initiative, he called all Christians to live in concrete solidarity with those who suffer most, especially by feeding the hungry and sharing one’s table with the poorest.

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has provided a concrete example of this mandate. Between the establishment of the World Day of the Poor and the end of 2024, he shared lunch with thousands of people in need on several occasions in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

7. He wore his usual black shoes instead of the traditional red shoes.

True to his simple style, Pope Francis wore his usual black shoes made in Buenos Aires throughout his 12-year pontificate, abandoning the traditional red shoes of his predecessors and continuing to wear modest loafers.

In a phone call to his longtime shoemaker, Carlos Samaria, he asked him not to do anything new or flashy for the start of his pontificate: “No red shoes, just black as usual.”

Samaria, who made his shoes for 40 years, described the shoes the pope wore as having “a simple cut, made of black calfskin, with a smooth upper, no frills. If you pick up one of the pope’s shoes, it looks like a galosh, unadorned but with laces.”

8. ‘I was in prison and you visited me’: He was close to the incarcerated.

From opening a Holy Door in a prison to visiting prisons on his apostolic trips, Pope Francis has made accompanying prisoners a regular gesture.

During his first Holy Week after being elected pontiff, in 2013, he went to a prison to wash the feet of prisoners, a gesture he repeated every year until his final Holy Thursday, four days before his death, when he visited the inmates of Regina Caeli prison. That day, Francis personally greeted each of the inmates. Afterward, he addressed them “to pray the Lord’s Prayer together and impart his blessing.”

Another memorable moment was when the pope inaugurated the 2025 Jubilee of Hope and, two days later, on Dec. 26, visited the Rebibbia prison, where he opened a second Holy Door as a gesture of grace toward those deprived of their freedom, incorporating them in a special way into this jubilee year, despite the fact that, according to tradition, Holy Doors are found only in the four papal basilicas in Rome.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Refugees from Mexico. / Credit: David Peinado Romero/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:49 pm (CNA).

Utah’s Catholic Community Services will continue to operate its refugee support programs despite federal funding cuts after receiving well over $1 million in donations.

In early April, the group, which is based in Salt Lake City, announced that its refugee resettlement program was “winding down” and would eventually close amid major federal funding cuts. The program normally provides “hundreds of refugees the assistance they need to recover from lives dismantled by persecution, war, or violence.”

The organization reported that it lost more than $2.5 million of annual aid and “could not sustain the program” without it.

In a statement on Monday, however, the group said that, following the announcement, “something remarkable happened. Our community rallied.”

The organization said it will no longer be forced to close the refugee program or end its support for Utah-based immigrant families.

“Thanks to a generous lead gift and an outpouring of support from individuals, foundations, and partners, CCS will continue offering resettlement services through a new, privately funded model,” the group said.

Catholic Community Services said it has raised $1.5 million to use over the next four years and said it will continue its work “on a smaller scale.” The majority of the funds came from one donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Catholic organization is now asking for another $1 million from “the broader community.” It stated that without this additional money, the organization “will be forced to scale back services and make further cuts to the program.”

The funds will help “refugee clients” by focusing on “six key pillars”: extended case management, housing assistance, employment readiness, youth education support, mental health services, and volunteer coordination and community engagement.

“These services aim to address the most urgent needs of refugee families and foster long-term self-sufficiency,” the organization said.

“While the program will operate at a reduced capacity, its core services — and the impact on the lives of those we serve — remain as vital as ever. This transformation ensures we can uphold our mission while adapting to a changing national landscape.”

Pope Francis blesses a newly married couple during his general audience on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:19 pm (CNA).

In an exhortation to young people published after his death, Pope Francis urged couples to prepare properly for marriage and commit themselves to “love that lasts a lifetime.” 

The missive, a foreword to the book “Love Forever” by the YOUCAT Foundation, urges young people considering marriage to “believe in love, believe in God, and believe that you are capable of taking on the adventure” of lifelong matrimony. 

The Holy Father in the text described the traditional wedding vows of “until death do us part” as “an extraordinary promise.” 

“Of course, I am not blind, and neither are you. How many marriages today fail after three, five, seven years?” the pope wrote in the foreword, published by the New York Times on Monday.

Asking rhetorically if it would be better “to avoid the pain, to touch each other only as though in a passing dance, to enjoy each other, play together, and then leave,” the pope countered that love “until further notice” is not love. 

“We humans have the desire to be accepted without reservations, and those who do not have this experience often — unknowingly — carry a wound for the rest of their lives,” Francis argued. “Instead, those who enter into a union lose nothing but gain everything: life at its fullest.“

The Holy Father noted that he had urged the Church to “help you build a foundation for your relationship based on God’s faithful love.” He wrote that he “dreamed” of a catechumenate-style marriage formation program for the Church, one that might last years and would “save you from disappointment, from invalid or unstable marriages.”

Pointing to YOUCAT’s marriage formation material as a guide, the pope said couples should “absolutely participate in marriage preparation courses.”

“Before receiving the sacrament of marriage, a proper preparation is necessary,” the pope wrote.

“We cannot continue on as before: Many only see the beautiful ritual,” he said. “And then, after some years, they separate. Faith is destroyed. Wounds are opened. There are often children who are missing a father or a mother.”

Comparing marriage to the dance of tango in his native Argentina, Pope Francis said treating a marriage this way is “like dancing tango poorly.” 

“Tango is a dance that must be learned. This is all the more true when it comes to marriage and family,” the late pontiff said.

Quoting his earlier apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, the pope finished the foreword: “In young love, the dancing — step by step, a dance toward hope with eyes full of wonder — must not stop.”