The Vatican has issued a statement in which it declares that “the church does not have, and cannot have, the power to give the blessing to unions of persons of the same sex.” It said Pope Francis “was informed and gave his assent” to its publication.

While much ink has been spilled by Vatican watchers interpreting how the pope’s writings and structural changes will shape the church for years to come, Pope Francis’ gestures may do even more to define his legacy.

An open letter to Pope Francis from a woman on the eighth anniversary of his papacy

Pope Francis is suffering from “a painful sciatica.”

Pope Francis announced that the Catholic Church will dedicate more than a year to focusing on the family and conjugal love.

The C.D.F. said today: ‘We did everything possible to dialogue with Father Flannery. It wasn’t always easy.’

Every conversation my mother and I had about religion drifted into an argument about Pope Francis. Being unable to talk about God with the person who gave me my faith as she lay dying was agonizing.

75 years after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, writes Drew Christiansen, S.J., the danger of nuclear war is as high as ever. Our “deterrence” strategy needs to be reconsidered.

Hint: He’s not another Francis.

Well, at least 10 of them.