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Today Pope Francis’ official coat of arms and papal motto were unveiled at a Vatican press conference. The coat of arms is almost identical to the one he used as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, except the wide-brimmed cardinal’s hat at the top of the shield has been replaced by a miter, and the papal keys have been added. From the Vatican Information Service, here are details about the symbols found on Francis’ coat of arms: The shield has a bright blue background, at the centre top of which is a yellow radiant sun with the IHS christogram on...

One of the first official acts of the newly installed Pope Francis was to reach out to the Jewish community of Rome, as his predecessor Pope Benedict had done, and he is being greeted warmly by many Jewish leaders worldwide. For most of the last 1,500 years, though, Catholic-Jewish relations have not been so warm. In fact, there was a time when the Catholic Church was rocked with a scandal: It was alleged that the Pope himself was Jewish. But that was almost 1,000 years ago, and the first order of business is to note how well received Pope Francis...

Flags, including those of his homeland of Argentina, are held up by pilgrims as Pope Francis make his way through the crowd in St. Peter's Square before celebrating his inaugural Mass at the Vatican March 19. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Today, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Pope Francis celebrated the Mass inaugurating his Petrine ministry, receiving the papal pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring. Below is the full text of the Holy Father’s homily, translated by Vatican Radio: Dear Brothers and Sisters, I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on...

Don't be surprised that the honeymoon lasted just a few hours.The Catholic Church looks neither right nor left but up. In other words, the Church is not a vehicle for conservatism or liberalism, capitalism or socialism, but a vehicle for Catholicism. Anyone who thinks and believes otherwise has surely misunderstood the teaching and purpose of the institution left us by Christ Jesus. I say this because within hours of Pope Francis taking to the balcony in Rome, commentators were trying to shape the man in their own image. It’s an outrageous, but inevitable, thing to do. Pope Francis the friend...

A majority of members of Congress who were educated at Catholic colleges and law schools are pro-abortion. That’s the finding of a new report from The Cardinal Newman Society. In all, 52 of 92 (56 percent) elected officials in the last Congress and current Congress that attended Catholic colleges, according to their congressional websites, have voted for pro-abortion rights and/or related funding. In the 112th session of the House of Representatives there were 65 congressmen and women who attended Catholic colleges or law schools. Out of those, 35 support abortion rights. Out of the 12 Catholic-educated congressmen in the incoming...

Washington (CNN) – American Catholics are very enthusiastic about the choice of Pope Francis to head the Roman Catholic Church, according to a new national survey. But a CNN/ORC International survey also indicates that you shouldn't expect them to pay any more attention to the new pope's teachings on issues like birth control than they paid to his predecessors."Pope Francis is starting off with a huge reservoir of goodwill in the U.S. Eighty-eight percent of American Catholics questioned in our survey approve of his selection as pope," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.By contrast, an ABC News/Washington Post poll in...

Pope Francis waves from the popemobile as he greets people in St. Peter's Square before celebrating his inaugural Mass at the Vatican March 19. (CNS/Paul Haring) By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Although attempts were made to simplify the ceremony, Pope Francis officially inaugurated his ministry as pope and bishop of Rome in a liturgy filled with biblical symbolism and signs of the universality of his mission. But before the solemn rites began March 19, Pope Francis -- known for choosing public transport over chauffeur-driven limousines -- took his first spin in the popemobile, blessing the...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHXaYxfg1As&feature=youtu.be While recording for an upcoming album with De Montfort Music, the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist, received news that rocked the world. "White Smoke!" Spirit Juice Studios, filming for their EPK, was there to capture the excitement. Dominican Sisters of Mary http://www.sistersofmary.org

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VATICAN CITY - After a week marked by acts of simplicity and openness, Pope Francis finally let his words do the talking as he officially began his stewardship of the Catholic Church on Tuesday. "Please," he implored the tens of thousands, both poor and powerful, gathered outside St. Peter's Basilica. "Let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment." --snip-- At one point, as he neared a group of people in wheelchairs, he signaled for the jeep to stop, hopped off and approached a disabled man held up...

Pope Francis, the Mystic “The more we love God and enter into intimate contact with Him through prayer, the more He makes Himself known and enflames our hearts with His love.” —Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, speaking on mystical union with God at his Wednesday General Audience on January 12, 2011 Why is Pope Francis so simple, so genuine, so evidently filled with the love of Christ? Part of the answer may be… because God filled him with His love.

The reaction of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist to the white smoke is pure unbridled joy. It's your must watch video of the day. In the middle of recording their debut album for DeMontfort Music, the sisters heard the news that resounded in heaven and earth. VIDEO

In a question that brought nervous laughter to other journalists, a question by Associated Press reporter Mathew Lee, asking whether the United States would monitor a Papal election, brought a serious formal non-answer, as reported by Family Security Matters via CNS News: State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said on Friday that if a request were to "come forward" that the papal election be monitored by an international organization called the Organization for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the U.S. government "would take it very seriously." Nuland made the remark only after she did some "digging" on the issue because...

The election of Pope Francis as the 266th bishop of Rome held many milestones. Francis is the first Latin American pope in history and the first non-European pontiff in about 1,200 years. However, some have claimed that a Medieval pope might have reached a milestone considered impossible given the standards and rules of Vatican City for ordained clergy. Legend has it that in the ninth century the Roman Catholic Church was ruled briefly by a "Pope Joan," who disguised herself as a man, rising through the ranks of the male-dominated hierarchy. Many have hailed the legend as true, with two...

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters present at her weekly Capitol Hill news conference to “get excited” about newly elected Pope Francis. While discussing with Capitol Hill reporters on Thursday her experience watching the selection of the new pope, Pelosi said: “Isn’t it exciting? I think so. Get excited. This is big, this is big.” Earlier in the press briefing, Pelosi said she was happy to hear Pope Francis chose his name based on Saint Francis of Assisi, for whom Pelosi’s home city of San Francisco is named. …

Sunday, March 17, 2013 Fatima Shrine recalls Pope Francis' sponsorship of the Pilgrim Image of the Virgin of FatimaBy Brian Kopp For the record, here is a Google translation of yesterday's email (in Portuguese) of the Fatima Shrine's announcement regarding Cardinal Bergoglio's 1998 sponsorship of the Pilgrim Image of the Virgin of Fatima:  From: Press Room | Fatima Shrine  Date: March 16, 2013 10:42:06 AM PDT To: Subject: Buenos Aires, 1998: Fatima Shrine recalls the reception of Pope Francisco to Image Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima  26/2013, of March 16, 2013 - 17:30 Buenos Aires, 1998 - "Benvinda the house, Mother!"  Fatima Shrine recalls...

Fr. Georg has the task of guiding Bergoglio in his journey through the Vatican's secrets (vatican insider) A discreet and unexpected presence on the eve of the Papal election, Fr. Georg has been constantly by Francis’ side during his first public appearances: from his visit to Saint Mary Major to pray, to the meeting with journalists in the Paul VI Audience Hall. The role of Archbishop Gänswein at the beginning of this Pontificate goes beyond that of Prefect of the Pontifical Household; indeed, his sentimental involvement is evident and says a lot about his personality. It also brings to...

Left: The Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Right: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., who was elected Pope Francis on March 13, 2013, in a 2005 photo. (CNS photo/Enrique Marcarian, Reuters) Editor's note: The following Letter On the Year of Faith was presented by Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., now Pope Francis, on October 1, 2012, the Feast of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, to the Catholics of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. It is published with the express permission of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. LETTER ON THE YEAR OF FAITH:TO THE PRIESTS, CONSECRATED RELIGIOUS...

Sunday, March 17, 2013 Former SSPX seminarian constant companion of Pope FrancisBy Brian Kopp Some traditionalist bloggers seem to want to suggest that Pope Francis' closest friends and confidantes are of the progressive persuasion, but his right hand man at present is a former SSPX seminarian ... Georg Gänswein, despite his athletic and youthful appearance, is extremely conservative. But he has been careful to tone down his “traditionalist” side. Shortly after the election of Benedict XVI in 2005, all references to the papal secretary’s life prior to his new-found fame disappeared from the internet. Only later did any personal information...

A revealing anecdote from an interview in 2009 with the man who would become Pope Francis: Just a few days ago I baptized seven children of a woman on her own, a poor widow, who works as a maid and she had had them from two different men. I met her last year at the Feast of San Cayetano. SheÂ’d said: Father, IÂ’m in mortal sin, I have seven children and IÂ’ve never had them baptized. It had happened because she had no money to bring the godparents from a distance, or to pay for the party, because she always...