The pope's message was read to the assembly Jan. 21 by Cardinal Peter Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

The Vatican revealed that the pope and president discussed “the good existing bilateral relations” between the Holy See and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and expressed “satisfaction” at the ratification of the framework agreement between the two countries on matters of mutual interest.

This year, the Christian watchdog organization is highlighting the “rise of the surveillance state” and its impact on Christians and Muslims in China along with its 2019 World Watch List, released Wednesday (Jan. 15).

Fifty years after a Catholic lay group protested for the rights of Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles, the people who participated then reflect today on how far the Church still needs to go in pastoral outreach to the poor and disadvantaged.

The agreement signed on January 13 by the political leaders of South Sudan could bolster the chances of a papal visit to that conflict-ridden country.

The Catholic Church in the Central African Republic are calling upon all political leaders to work toward more open democracy and government.