God's mercy has been at the heart of Pope Francis' life ever since he was 17.

In his Christmas Message to the world Pope Francis issued a heartfelt appeal for peace in many of the world rsquo s conflict areas He called in particular for an end to the violence and hatred that is spreading in the Holy Land and elsewhere in the Middle East as well as in several African countr

The apostolic exhortation on the family will be his most important magisterial text of 2016.

Bishop Shomali: 'We hope that this wave of violence stops and more serious negotiations take place in view of a final settlement.'

Greg Burke, an American, and Stefano D’Agostini, an Italian, are early personnel changes in Vatican's reform project.

The pope struck a very different tone this year, compared to last year when he lambasted 15 “curial diseases.”

Pope Francis has nominated the well-known Irish monsignor Paul Tighe as a bishop and has appointed him as Adjunct-Secretary to the Pontifical Council of Culture The Vatican made the announcement on Dec 19 and said the Pope has named him to the titular episcopal See of Drivasto in Albania nbsp M

Pope Francis has opened the door to the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta He did so this afternoon Dec 17 when he recognized the miraculous cure of a Brazilian man that took place at the end of 2008 nbsp The news was broken unofficially this evening by the Italian Catholic daily

“The Catholic Church could do things with political consequences if it coordinated with political leaders.”

The Holy Year of Mercy arrives in advance in this land that has suffered from war.