Documents in the Vatican Secret Archives and the archives of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith prove it was a "myth" that Blessed Paul VI largely set out on his own in writing "Humanae Vitae," the 1968 encyclical on married love and the regulation of births.

French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, an experienced diplomat and head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, died at the age of 75 in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was receiving medical treatment.

Pope Francis has appointed Paolo Ruffini, 61, an Italian layperson with wide experience in print, radio and television, as the new Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul with 14 new cardinals and gifted 27 new archbishops their palliums to bring home to their respective archdioceses.

Pope Francis used strong words that can be read both as an admonition and guidance for the entire college of cardinals.

Their conversation was the longest between the pope and a head of state since Francis’ meeting with President Obama in 2014.