Pope Francis expressed the hope that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on Sunday, Jan. 19, “would be respected immediately by all the parties [involved]” and would lead to “the release of all the hostages” and the rapid provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza.

“I think the synod is Francis’ way of concretizing his challenge to get [us] out of self-referentiality in the church, that we don’t just stick to our churchy language and deal only with fellow Catholics,” Cardinal David tells ‘America.’

The fall resulted “in a contusion to the right forearm, without any fracture,” but “the arm has been immobilized as a precautionary measure,” the Vatican stated.

In an exclusive interview with Gerard O’Connell, Cardinal Pablo ‘Ambo’ David describes serving the poor in the Philippines during President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs.

Warning of “the increasingly concrete threat of a world war,” Pope Francis called for “the diplomacy of hope” in his address to the ambassadors of the 184 countries that have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

In a groundbreaking decision, Pope Francis has appointed the Italian missionary nun, Simona Brambilla, M.C., as prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.