Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández declared that the Vatican will only validate reports of Marian apparitions in “exceptional” cases that incur the special interest of the pope.

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith revealed a 1974 ruling surrounding alleged Marian apparitions that took place in Amsterdam in the mid-20th century, declaring they were found to not be supernatural following "persistent doubts" surrounding them.

“In today’s world, democracy—let’s be honest—is not in good health,” the pope said on Sunday.

Despite past tensions with Pope Francis and a period without assignment, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Pope Benedict XVI’s longtime secretary, has been appointed as the apostolic nuncio to Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.

Pope Francis met with comedians to discuss the importance of humor, specifically as a tool for unity in the face of darkness and conflict.

In a message for a prayer service commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Pope Francis condemned the hypocrisy of remembering the heroic sacrifices made on the day, while not promoting peace in the world today.

Speaking May 3 on the need for holistic higher education, the pope said that some universities are “too liberal” and do not place enough emphasis on forming their students into whole people.

Speaking with Catholic News Service before formally taking possession of his titular church in Rome April 21, Cardinal Christophe Pierre described the reality of the church in the United States as a “paradox.”

Pope Francis warned against contemplative orders using defensive, nostalgic strategies “when it comes to reflecting on a whether a monastery should be saved or abandoned, on community life or about vocations.”

Pope Francis will continue his custom of celebrating Holy Thursday Mass in a prison during Holy Week 2024.