It is clear that if the president requests an audience, “the door would be open.”

One fruit of this Sino-Vatican agreement, which neither side has confirmed, will be that “from now on, there will be no more the crisis of a division between the open and underground communities in the church in China,” wrote Cardinal Tong.

"Every effort must be made to eradicate this shameful and intolerable crime (of human trafficking)," Pope Francis said.

Archbishop Bernardito Auza called on the U.N. and its member states to develop policies and investments "that people can see and touch" to tackle social and spiritual poverty as well.

Author Francesca Chaouqui received a 10-month suspended sentence for conspiring to pass confidential documents onto two journalists.

The charter "reaffirms the sanctity of life" as a gift from God and calls on those working in health care to be "servants" and "ministers of life."