Taking the Catholic Pulse

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Criticism of Cardinal Mahony’s role in papal funeral points to abuse crisis still affecting Church

‘Papabile’ of the Day: Cardinal Matteo Zuppi

The 69-year-old Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna arguably is as close to a potential “Pope Francis II” as one will find among the plausible contenders.

Apr 25
John L. Allen Jr.

Pope Francis to receive final send-off from the poor of Rome

Apr 25
Elise Ann Allen

In this 2007 file photo, Cardinal Roger Mahony speaks during an annual multi-ethnic migration Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. (Credit: Reed Saxon/AP.)

News Analysis

Criticism of Cardinal Mahony’s role in papal funeral points to abuse crisis still affecting Church

Apr 25
Charles Collins

People pay their respects to the late Pope Francis who will lie in state until Friday evening, on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)

Even in death, Pope Francis’s push for dialogue, multilateralism continue

Apr 25
Elise Ann Allen

A Catholic priest performs a ritual as part of lenten practice to mark Holy Wednesday in Paete, Laguna province, Philippines, April 16, 2025. (Credit: Aaron Favila/AP.)

‘There are no candidates in a conclave,’ says Filipino Cardinal David

Apr 24
Joseph San Mateo

‘Papabile’ of the Day: Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Apr 24
John L. Allen Jr.

Remembering Francis through his most iconic pictures

Apr 24
Elise Ann Allen

People pay their respects to the late Pope Francis who will lie in state until Friday evening, on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)

Even in death, Pope Francis’s push for dialogue, multilateralism continue

Apr 25
Elise Ann Allen

A Catholic priest performs a ritual as part of lenten practice to mark Holy Wednesday in Paete, Laguna province, Philippines, April 16, 2025. (Credit: Aaron Favila/AP.)

‘There are no candidates in a conclave,’ says Filipino Cardinal David

Apr 24
Joseph San Mateo

‘Papabile’ of the Day: Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Apr 24
John L. Allen Jr.

Remembering Francis through his most iconic pictures

Apr 24
Elise Ann Allen

Remembering Francis through his most iconic pictures

Apr 24
Elise Ann Allen

Mourners pay final respects to Pope Francis ahead of Saturday’s funeral Mass

Apr 23
Crux Staff

Japanese cardinal remembers influence of Pope Francis in the world

Apr 23
Nirmala Carvalho

Looking back on Francis legacy, top 5 papal controversies

Apr 23
Elise Ann Allen

Latest

Pope Francis walks towards a newly planted oak tree during a tree-planting ceremony during the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology, at the Vatican, Oct. 4, 2019. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)

The Francis papacy in broad strokes

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

Funeral for Pope Francis to be held Saturday morning in Rome

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

In a file photo, Pope Francis walks next to Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias as he leaves the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 9, 2014. (Credit: Paul Haring/CNS.)

Cardinal Gracias says Pope Francis was ‘fearless’

Apr 22
Nirmala Carvalho

Pope Francis twirls a soccer ball he was presented by a member of the Circus of Cuba, during his weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Jan. 2, 2019. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)

A look back at some of Pope Francis’s top soundbites

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

People pray during a Mass for the late Pope Francis at the Cubao Cathedral in Quezon city, Philippines Monday, April 21, 2025. (Credit: Aaron Favila/AP.)

Filipinos mourn Pope Francis, ‘grandpa’ to Asia’s biggest Catholic country

Apr 22
Joseph San Mateo

Pope Francis in Kinshasa, Congo, on Jan. 31, 2023. (Credit: Jerome Delay/AP.)

African Theologian says Pope Francis was a post-colonial pope

Apr 22
Ngala Killian Chimtom

Gregoria Caceres kneels in front of a portrait of the late Pope Francis at the Caacupe Parish, which he often visited and preached at, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (Credit: Natacha Pisarenko/AP.)

Argentinians mourn their ‘Pope of the poor’

Apr 22
Eduardo Campos Lima

Francis legacy lives as top Vatican woman gets accidental invite to cardinals meeting

Apr 21
Elise Ann Allen

Church leaders say Pope Francis had ‘a heart in Africa’

Apr 21
Ngala Killian Chimtom

Pope Francis will be remembered for his concern over refugees and immigrants

Apr 21
John Lavenburg

After papal passing, what comes next?

Apr 21
Elise Ann Allen

Electrifying, maverick Pope Francis leaves behind ‘roller coaster’ legacy

Apr 21
John L. Allen Jr.

Global

Pope Francis walks towards a newly planted oak tree during a tree-planting ceremony during the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology, at the Vatican, Oct. 4, 2019. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)

The Francis papacy in broad strokes

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

Funeral for Pope Francis to be held Saturday morning in Rome

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

In a file photo, Pope Francis walks next to Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias as he leaves the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 9, 2014. (Credit: Paul Haring/CNS.)

Cardinal Gracias says Pope Francis was ‘fearless’

Apr 22
Nirmala Carvalho

Pope Francis twirls a soccer ball he was presented by a member of the Circus of Cuba, during his weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Jan. 2, 2019. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)

A look back at some of Pope Francis’s top soundbites

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

People pray during a Mass for the late Pope Francis at the Cubao Cathedral in Quezon city, Philippines Monday, April 21, 2025. (Credit: Aaron Favila/AP.)

Filipinos mourn Pope Francis, ‘grandpa’ to Asia’s biggest Catholic country

Apr 22
Joseph San Mateo

Pope Francis in Kinshasa, Congo, on Jan. 31, 2023. (Credit: Jerome Delay/AP.)

African Theologian says Pope Francis was a post-colonial pope

Apr 22
Ngala Killian Chimtom

Argentinians mourn their ‘Pope of the poor’

Apr 22
Eduardo Campos Lima

Francis legacy lives as top Vatican woman gets accidental invite to cardinals meeting

Apr 21
Elise Ann Allen

Church leaders say Pope Francis had ‘a heart in Africa’

Apr 21
Ngala Killian Chimtom

Pope Francis will be remembered for his concern over refugees and immigrants

Apr 21
John Lavenburg

Featured Content

New Episode:

First conviction for abuse on Vatican grounds
Pope’s alleged homophobic statements
Labor unrest in the Vatican
Monsignor faces criminal charges
Mounting crisis in Catholic-Jewish relations

Tuesdays on

Podcast:

Tuesdays on

Podcast:

John L. Allen, Jr.

‘Papabile’ of the Day: Cardinal Matteo Zuppi

Apr 25
John L. Allen Jr.

‘Papabile’ of the Day: Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Apr 24
John L. Allen Jr.

Electrifying, maverick Pope Francis leaves behind ‘roller coaster’ legacy

Apr 21
John L. Allen Jr.

Cardinal claims new revelations prove prosecutorial misconduct in ‘Trial of the Century’

Apr 15
John L. Allen Jr.

A John Allen update, and three notes of thanks

Apr 12
John L. Allen Jr.

Charles Collins

In this 2007 file photo, Cardinal Roger Mahony speaks during an annual multi-ethnic migration Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. (Credit: Reed Saxon/AP.)

Criticism of Cardinal Mahony’s role in papal funeral points to abuse crisis still affecting Church

Apr 25
Charles Collins

Clergy attend the beatification Mass of Carlo Acutis in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi in Assisi, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. (Credit: CNS photo/courtesy Diocese of Assisi- Nocera Umbra- Gualdo Tadino.)

New documentary looks at life of Carlo Acutis, who will be canonized this month

Apr 16
Charles Collins

Icon depicting the Emperor Constantine and the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (325) holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381. (Credit: Wikipedia.)

Churches Together in England says Council of Nicaea still a ‘breath of hope’

Apr 15
Charles Collins

Pope Francis appears at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on March 23, 2025. (Credit: Domenico Stinellis/AP.)

Period of Rest for Pope Francis is getting very active

Apr 13
Charles Collins

(Credit: Unsplash.)

Catholic Medical Association in the UK calls for palliative care, not assisted suicide

Apr 8
Charles Collins

Elise Ann Allen

People pay their respects to the late Pope Francis who will lie in state until Friday evening, on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)

Even in death, Pope Francis’s push for dialogue, multilateralism continue

Apr 25
Elise Ann Allen

Pope Francis to receive final send-off from the poor of Rome

Apr 25
Elise Ann Allen

Remembering Francis through his most iconic pictures

Apr 24
Elise Ann Allen

Pope Francis is helped by his aide Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, right, as he arrives for the start of a public consistory to elevate 21 new cardinals, in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, Dec. 7, 2024. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)

Looking back on Francis legacy, top 5 papal controversies

Apr 23
Elise Ann Allen

Pope Francis walks towards a newly planted oak tree during a tree-planting ceremony during the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology, at the Vatican, Oct. 4, 2019. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)

The Francis papacy in broad strokes

Apr 22
Elise Ann Allen

John Lavenburg

A woman holds a picture of Pope Francis reading in Italian “Farewell Francis, thank you His Holiness, today all the people cry for you” in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican after Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell announced the death of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, 2025. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)

Pope Francis will be remembered for his concern over refugees and immigrants

Apr 21
John Lavenburg

Catholic Charities Western Washington CEO: Federal funding uncertainty ‘a big dilemma’

Mar 27
John Lavenburg

Parishioners attend Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in the Queens borough of New York on Sunday, May 8, 2022. According to a report released Thursday, April 13, 2023, by the Pew Research Center, Catholics remain the largest religious group among Latinos in the United States, but the number of Latinos who identify as religiously unaffiliated continues to grow. (Credit: Brittainy Newman/AP.)

20 percent of adults have left their childhood religion in many countries, study shows

Mar 26
John Lavenburg

Religious freedom commission expresses ‘hope’ with Trump, cites Biden IRFA violation

Mar 26
John Lavenburg

Prime Minister Mark Carney meets young members of the crowd during the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Montreal, Sunday March 16, 2025. (Credit: Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP.)

Canadian Catholic leaders denounce government budget proposals

Mar 19
John Lavenburg

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