Msgr. Carlo Cappella, who had served in the Vatican embassy in Washington, D.C., has been under criminal investigation since his recall from the U.S. last September.

Pope Francis' third apostolic exhortation will emphasize “the call to holiness in the contemporary world,” echoing Vatican II's “Lumen Gentium.”

Francis delivered his sixth Easter message as bishop of Rome and leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics from the central balcony of St Peter’s.

The bishop emeritus of Hong Kong said, “Pope Francis promotes the Holy See’s negotiations with China for the good of the church, to bring something good to the church and to the whole of humanity.”

Mgr. Dario Vigano offered his resignation on March 19, saying he did not want the flap over the Benedict letter to hinder reforms in the communications office.

Pope Francis will attend the ninth World Meeting of Families on August 25 and 26, making him the second pontiff to visit Ireland.

The Vatican has released the complete letter by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI about Pope Francis after facing criticism for manipulating a photograph of it.

The archbishop of Guam, Anthony Sablan Apuron O.F.M. Cap., is found guilty of some of the accusations against him, including the sexual abuse of minors.

Francis has been first and foremost “a missionary pope,” who is determined to transform the church into “a missionary church.”

Benedict affirmed that “there is an internal continuity between the two pontificates.”