Mary McAleese, who has a gay son and has criticized the church’s position on L.G.B.T. issues, was invited to participate in a panel discussion on women in church governance.

History's first Latin American pope is particularly devoted to Marian iconography.

"I judged they were prepared. They knew what they were doing."

Pope Francis dove head-first into Chile's sex abuse scandal on his first full day in Santiago.

Some of Karadima's victims say Barros and other Karadima-trained bishops witnessed and tolerated Karadima's abuse

In the past, Francis has strongly condemned the "persecution of our Rohingya brothers," denounced their suffering because of their faith and called for them to receive "full rights."

Pope Francis has made normalizing relations with China a priority. But the Vatican and China remain at odds over the Vatican's insistence that the pope have the authority to name bishops.

Pope Francis said that priests must inform Catholic consciences “but not replace them.”

"International relations cannot be held captive to military force, mutual intimidation and the parading of stockpiles of arms," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis is saying "Just Say No" to cigarettes.