Journalist and author Michael O’Loughlin, the national correspondent at America Media, has been appointed the first executive director of Outreach.

With the help of a woman Anglican bishop, a Salesian sister and a consecrated virgin, Pope Francis and his cardinal advisors sought to deepen their reflection on the role of women in the church.

On Sunday, Pope Francis sent his greetings to all who will celebrate the Lunar New Year on Feb. 10 and invited everyone to pray for peace.

The president of the Irish bishop’s conference hailed an agreement that sees a Catholic take the top political job in Northern Ireland for the first time in its history as an “opportunity for a fresh start and a new beginning.”

“In the light of the numerous communications that have been sent to me by various friends and Jewish organizations from all over the world...I feel the desire to assure you of my closeness and affection,” Pope Francis writes.

Mauro Pallotta, the Italian graffiti artist known as Maupal, has designed cartoon-like images of Pope Francis around the Vatican for a decade. On Thursday, he sat the podium at the Vatican news conference.