Pope marks first year far from Rome's madding crowdPope Francis will spend the first anniversary of his election in a spiritual retreat, far from the adoring crowds in Rome and the tensions within the Church hierarchy that have defined the last year.
13 March 2014
Now the hard work starts for superstar popePope Francis celebrates one year in office on Thursday swaddled in a blanket of approval world leaders would die for and most of his predecessors could only dream of.
13 March 2014
Pope popular in US but sex scandals cast long shadowA year after being chosen Pope Francis is very popular with American Catholics though his handling of the pedophile priests' scandal left many underwhelmed, a new study found.
06 March 2014
Malaysia's highest court takes up use of 'Allah' by CatholicsHundreds of Muslims demonstrated Wednesday outside Malaysia's highest court as it took up the Catholic Church's bid to be allowed to refer to God as "Allah" in a case that has increased tensions in the multi-ethnic nation.
Polish Church uncovers hidden painting to foster religious tiesPoland's Catholic Church on Thursday unveiled a painting kept hidden because of its controversial depiction of Jews murdering Christian children, saying it wanted to foster interfaith dialogue.
Huge crowds hold Madrid mass after new abortion lawTens of thousands of Roman Catholics joined in an open-air mass in central Madrid on Sunday to celebrate the Holy Family, just days after the Spanish government agreed to tighten the abortion law.
30 December 2013
India's top court upholds law criminalising gay sexIndia's Supreme Court Wednesday upheld a colonial-era law criminalising homosexuality in a landmark judgment that crushes activists' hopes for guarantees on sexual freedom in the world's biggest democracy.
11 December 2013
Australian Anglicans elect first female bishopThe Anglican Church in Australia has chosen its first female bishop, filling a vacancy created when her predecessor resigned over his management of child abuse allegations.
18 November 2013
Australia Church child sex inquiry urges sweeping changesAn Australian state inquiry into the handling of child sex cases by the Catholic Church on Wednesday said religious leaders trivialised the problem and recommended concealment of abuse should be a crime.
Grace church pastor under home arrestBakhytzhan Kashkumbayev, pastor of Grace protestant church in Astana, has been released from jail and transferred under home arrest.