Pope Francis has declared as saints 16 Carmelite martyrs executed by guillotine during the French Revolution and confirmed the martyrdom and heroic virtues of five others in a series of decrees published Dec. 18.

Today in The New York Times, Pope Francis praised the value of joy, humor and laughter, and noted “jokes about and told by Jesuits are in a class of their own.” Here are 5 of my favorite.

In a new autobiography, Pope Francis revealed that he escaped two assassination attempts during his visit to Iraq in March 2021, including one involving a young woman who was believed to be attempting a suicide bombing.

Pope Francis, on his first visit to Corsica, praised the island people's deep faith and tradition of popular piety. On December 5, thousands of Corsicans gathered in Ajaccio to welcome the first pope ever to visit the island.

Pope Francis’ visit to Corsica will be his third visit to France, though he has yet to visit Paris.

Donald Trump's second term as U.S. President will surely raise significant questions about the ethics of migration policies. How might we resist extremism and polarization while retaining a commitment to the church's teaching on the dignity of all peoples?