China willing to reach 'understanding' with Vatican
The head of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong has said the Chinese government is willing to reach an understanding with the Vatican.
Pope opens 'Holy Door' in Bangui ahead of Catholic Jubilee year
Pope Francis made a highly symbolic gesture by opening a "Holy Door" at Bangui Cathedral in the Central African Republic ahead of the start of a Catholic Jubilee Year.
Pope hails Africa as 'continent of hope'
Pope Francis hailed Africa as "a continent of hope" as he toured Uganda on the second leg of a landmark trip that has seen him railing against corruption and poverty.
Pope deplores Vatican leaks, vows to continue reforms
Pope Francis pledged to forge ahead with reforms within the Church, while decrying "deplorable" leaks over uncontrolled spending by the Vatican.
Pope issues 'extraordinary' apology over scandals
Pope Francis offered a surprise public apology from the Catholic Church for a series of scandals which have shaken the city of Rome and the Vatican, from gay sex to drug use.
Pope deplores 'escalation of violence' in MidEast, urges action
Pope Francis deplored the "escalation of violence affecting innocent civilians" in the Middle East, from Syria to Iraq, Jerusalem and the West Bank, and urged the international community to act.
Pope feels 'used' by fake friends
Pope Francis says he has felt "used" by people claiming to be his friend since he became pontiff, in a radio interview touching on the personal side of his papacy.
Pope calls for every European parish to take in refugee family
Pope Francis called on every Catholic parish in Europe to take in a refugee family, saying the Vatican's two parishes would lead by example.
Pope to lead thousands through New York's Central Park
Pope Francis will lead a vast procession of thousands through Central Park during his historic visit to the United States later this month.
Pope urged to condemn gay unions as unnatural
Nearly half a million Catholics have signed a petition urging Pope Francis to condemn same sex unions as unnatural and rule out allowing divorced believers who remarry to receive communion.
Pope creates global prayer day for 'Care of Creation'
Pope Francis has established an annual day of global prayer "for the Care of Creation" to boost support for the environment.
Pope to blame profiteers for killing the planet
Pope Francis will call on the world's leaders to pull together to fight global warming, publishing his hotly-anticipated thesis on the environment.
Pope Francis heads to Sarajevo with reconciliation message
Pope Francis flies into Sarajevo bearing a message of reconciliation 20 years after peace accords which ended Bosnia's war but left the country divided on ethnic lines
Ireland's gay marriage vote was "a defeat": Vatican daily
The Irish vote in favour of gay marriage constitutes "a defeat" that highlights a gap between the Church and modern society.
Pope Francis to meet Abbas after treaty announcement
Pope Francis was to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, days after the Vatican said it was preparing to sign its first accord with Palestine.
Castro at Vatican thanks pope for mediating thaw with US
Cuban President Raul Castro met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, thanking the pontiff for his role in brokering an historic rapprochement between Havana and Washington.
Pope condemns resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe
Pope Francis condemned a "worrying" resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe and urged the continuation of dialogue between Christians and Jews.
Pope on diplomatic tightrope with Armenian genocide mass
Pope Francis will mark the 100th anniversary of the mass killings of Armenians with a special ceremony.
Latin America's first women priests challenge Church
Olga Lucia Alvarez says it is her vocation to be a Catholic priest, and she is not going to let gender or excommunication stop her from preaching the gospel.
Two years and counting: Pope's opponents play waiting game
Two years after Pope Francis swept into the Vatican vowing to shake up the Church, his opponents are playing a waiting game as they seek to put the brakes on his reform drive.