World News
Corruption stifles the fresh air of mercy, pope says
While Jesus judges sinners with mercy, corrupt people often subscribe to an interpretation of the law that "is so rigid that it does not leave space for the Holy Spirit," the pope said.
Chaldean patriarch supports Holy Week peace march in Iraq
The Chaldean Catholic patriarch is supporting a more than 80-mile peace march during Holy Week to urge an end to violence in his homeland and throughout the Middle East.
Pope to seminarians: Using church for personal ambition is a ‘plague’
Do not settle for a worry-free, comfortable life with an unhealthy attachment to money and an ambitious heart yearning for honors, Pope Francis told seminarians studying in Rome.
Vatican releases itinerary for papal trip to Egypt
Pope Francis will meet with the leader of one of the world's leading Sunni Muslim institutions, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church and representatives of the Catholic Church on a two-day trip to Cairo.
Pope asks council for evangelization to oversee Catholic shrines
Highlighting Catholic shrines' potential to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw people to Christianity, Pope Francis transferred responsibility for coordinating the activity of shrines to the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.
Scars of past wounds give strength for the future, pope says
Visiting Carpi and Mirandola April 2, nearly five years after a 5.8-quake rocked the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, the pope said his visit was a sign of "closeness and encouragement" as the people continue to rebuild their homes and their lives.
Continuing ‘Mercy Friday’ practice, pope visits center for the blind
Pope Francis returned to a practice he developed during the Year of Mercy: making a Friday-afternoon visit to people in need of or deserving special care.
French priest pleads for safety of North Korean Christian refugees
Father Philippe Blot, who works with the Paris Foreign Mission Society, described the situation facing North Korean refugees as "becoming ever more dramatic" as they flee to China to avoid dying of hunger.
Vatican official hopes Trump can be persuaded to change policies
The Vatican hopes that U.S. bishops and others will continue to raise their voices in defense of the obligation to fight climate change and, in time, can persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to change his position, Cardinal Peter Turkson said.
No secret: Last three popes share close bond to Fatima
Recent popes have had a special affection for Our Lady of Fatima, but no pope's connection can match that of St. John Paul II.