Seeing Pope Francis as spiritual director means seeing that the pope takes himself less seriously than do his critics and defenders.

Pope Francis prayed that Jesus would "bring his smile, through our poor faces, to all the children of the world: to those who are abandoned and those who suffer violence.

On this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” the hosts talk about why the pope chose this theme for his speech, who he spoke to, and how these Christmas addresses fit into the pope’s larger effort to reform the Roman curia.

Pope Francis stressed the need for reform and a new approach to evangelization in his annual Christmas address to the Roman Curia. America‘s Vatican correspondent, Gerard O'Connell, reports.

The clergy need to rethink our approach to ministry through wide research and consultation among women of diverse ethnicities, languages, sexual identities and classes.

Some 800 students met Pope Francis there Dec. 20; he was ready to listen to their questions and offer his reflections.