Pope Francis leads pep rally at Vatican, meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Associated Press | Sunday May 19, 2013
Pope Francis lamented that investment losses by banks trigger more alarm in the economic crisis than the struggle of people to feed their families, as he led a huge rally on Saturday to invigorate the church's moral conscience, hours after he held ta...
Pope Francis canonises first saints of his reign
Reuters | Sunday May 12, 2013
Pope Francis on Sunday proclaimed as saints some 800 Italians killed in the 15th century for refusing to convert to Islam, and said many Christians were still being persecuted for their faith.
A look at new saints canonised by Pope Francis
Associated Press | Sunday May 12, 2013
Pope Francis has made hundreds of new saints at his first canonisation ceremony in St Peter's Square. Here is a look at the people receiving the Church's highest honour:
Pope Francis gives church hundreds of new saints
Associated Press | Sunday May 12, 2013
Pope Francis has given the Catholic church hundreds of new saints as he leads a canonisation ceremony in St Peter's Square.
Fake pope held in Rome for looking like John Paul II
Agence France-Presse | Saturday May 11, 2013
A Slovak street performer dressed in white papal vestments has been detained and fined by the police in Rome for bearing too close a resemblance to the late John Paul II, the police said on Friday.
No room for 'careerists, social climbers,' among clergy: Pope
Reuters | Wednesday May 8, 2013
Pope Francis said on Wednesday that clergy who were "careerists" or "social climbers" were doing serious damage to the Catholic Church, his latest utterance aimed at instilling a sense of frugality and service in the Vatican and beyond.
Pope to visit Brazil slum, meet prisoners, on first trip
Reuters | Tuesday May 7, 2013
Pope Francis will visit the poor in a favela and meet young prisoners when he travels to Brazil on his first international trip as pontiff in July, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
Vatican denies internal split on US nun crackdown
Associated Press | Tuesday May 7, 2013
The Vatican on Tuesday denied there were any internal divisions over its crackdown on the largest umbrella group of U.S. nuns after a top Vatican official complained that he had been sidelined by the reform project.
Former Pope Benedict returns to Vatican to live out retirement
Reuters | Friday May 3, 2013
Benedict XVI moved back to the Vatican on Thursday, opening an uncertain era in Catholic Church history where an "emeritus pope" and a ruling pontiff will live as neighbours for the first time.
Press Trust of India | Saturday April 13, 2013
India's Oswald Gracias was among eight high-ranking cardinals from around the world who were today appointed by Pope Francis in an advisory council to look into ways of reforming the Vatican bureaucracy.
Pope completes installation with emotional Rome mass
Agence France-Presse | Sunday April 7, 2013
Pope Francis on Sunday completed his installation as pontiff at an emotional ceremony in which he formally took possession of Rome's St John Lateran basilica -- the official seat of the city's bishop.
Pope wants Church to 'act decisively' against sex abuse
Reuters | Saturday April 6, 2013
Pope Francis wants the Catholic Church to "act decisively" to root out sexual abuse of children by priests and ensure the perpetrators are punished, the Vatican said on Friday.
Pope stresses 'fundamental' importance of women in Church
Reuters | Wednesday April 3, 2013
Pope Francis emphasised the "fundamental" importance of women in the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, saying they were the first witnesses of Christ and have a special role in spreading the faith.
Pope presides over first Good Friday observances
Agence France-Presse | Friday March 29, 2013
Pope Francis presided over his first Good Friday which will culminate in a torch-lit procession at Rome's Colosseum and prayers for peace in a Middle East "torn apart by injustice and conflicts".
Pope Francis washes women's feet in break with church law
Associated Press | Friday March 29, 2013
In his most significant break with tradition yet, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of two young women at a juvenile detention centre - a surprising departure from church rules that restrict the Holy Thursday ritual to men.