Rome Archives

Back to school Italian style: Papal greeting and gelato quests

Catholic News Service, Vatican
Aug 31, 2019

At the Pontifical North American College, new student orientation is not just a weekend or even just a week — it includes almost a month of intensive Italian studies, punctuated with occasional gelato sampling and one big shoutout from Pope Francis.

Crucified women: New book aims to end scourge of forced prostitution

Catholic News Service, Vatican
Aug 14, 2019

On Aug. 12 2016, Pope Francis visited a house run by the John XXIII Community in northeast Rome that helps young women rebuild their lives after being rescued from prostitution. A priest who was present during the pope’s visit has written a book as part of an effort to help free women forced into sex work.

Meeting an ‘impalpable’ movement of history in my own Roman ‘hood

News Analysis
Aug 13, 2019

There’s a quiet shifting of the plates in Catholicism today – a passing of the torch from religious communities to lay movements in many pastoral areas, without fanfare or political upheaval, but effectively saving the Church from having to abandon people it wants to serve.

St. John Paul II’s challenge is still valid: “Learn Rome!”

News Analysis
Aug 1, 2019

John Allen takes a walk in his Roman neighborhood and ‘learns Rome’ as Pope John Paul II advised.

Catholic scouts due in Rome to meet the pope, discuss Europe

Church in Europe
Aug 1, 2019

The eternal city is pretty used to invasions, having experienced numerous cases of raids and sacks, not to mention the yearly incursion of tourists. But this summer a different kind of troop will come to Rome: Over 5,000 scouts will arrive August 3 flaunting pro-European and pro-Christian sentiments.

Benedict XVI takes short trip outside Vatican, visits towns outside Rome

Vatican
Jul 26, 2019

As a heat wave sets records in Europe, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI left the Vatican on Thursday to enjoy the cool air of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome.