Papal anniversary Archives

Pope anniversary marked by Pell sentencing, scandal fallout

Associated Press, Vatican
Mar 13, 2019

Pope Francis marked his sixth anniversary as pontiff in prayer Wednesday, attending a weeklong spiritual retreat with his closest advisers. Elsewhere in the world, one of his cardinals was sentenced for sex abuse and a new poll found American Catholics are increasingly questioning their faith because of the scandal.

‘Scourge of abuse, internal attacks’ mark pope’s sixth year in office

Catholic News Service, Vatican
Mar 12, 2019

Catholics cannot place blame for the sexual abuse crisis on “those who came before us” in an attempt “to present ourselves as ‘pure,'” said the editorial director of the Vatican media outlets.

Pope by numbers: Vatican releases statistics of Francis’s pontificate

Catholic News Service, Vatican
Mar 19, 2018

In just five years as leader of the universal church, Pope Francis has made 22 international trips, traveling 154,906 miles — the equivalent of six times around the world.

Church in India marks Francis at 5 years

Global Church
Mar 13, 2018

Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro – the Apostolic Nuncio to India – and 33 bishops from all over India celebrated Mass to mark the 5th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis.

Wonder and wit: Five years of Pope Francis’s unique turns of phrase

Catholic News Service, Vatican
Mar 13, 2018

A native-Spanish speaker who grew up with Italian-speaking relatives in Argentina, Pope Francis has a striking way with words.

Francis at five years: Love him or hate him, this is one relevant pope

News Analysis
Mar 13, 2018

While opinions abound on whether Pope Francis is taking the Catholic Church in the right direction, one point at the five-year mark seems objectively clear: This pope is relevant.