Faith

Pope Francis’s Twitter messages are retweeted more than 9,900 times on his Spanish account and more than 7,500 times on his English account.

Study confirms Pope’s Twitter influence

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VATICAN CITY - When Pope Francis tweets, the world listens.

According to “Twiplomacy,” a study of the Twitter accounts of world leaders and their retweet rates, U.S. President Barack Obama has the most Twitter followers, but Pope Francis’ @Pontifex is the most influential Twitter account — his average “retweet” and “favorite” rate is more than eight times higher than Obama’s.

Pope Francis holds a jersey offered to him as a gift after leading a special audience for the Lazio sport association in Paul VI hall at the Vatican May 7.

Pope: Love of sports doesn't mean 'timeout' from church, friends, poor

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VATICAN CITY - Never let practice and competition get in the way of going to Mass, studying for school, being with friends and helping the poor, Pope Francis told an Italian sports association.

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, head of the Pontifical Commission for Child Protection.

Vatican approves statutes for papal commission for protecting minors

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VATICAN CITY - The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors received temporary approval of its first set of statutes.

Pope Francis gives a thumbs up as he leaves his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 6.

Europe needs Christians to speak with one voice, Pope says

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VATICAN CITY - Europe's Christians must speak with one voice to defend religious liberty and to ensure desperate migrants are treated fairly, Pope Francis said.

A memorial for the Charlie Hebdo victims.

Muhammad cartoons 'blasphemous,' Vatican paper says

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VATICAN CITY - The Vatican’s semi-official newspaper blasted a series of cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad as “blasphemous” but also condemned the “mad and bloodthirsty” extremists who opened fire at a Texas exhibit of the cartoons.

Pope Benedict XVI and Cuba's President Raul Castro gesture to the media as they appear for a photo opportunity outside the Palace of the Revolution in Havana March 27, 2012.

Pope Francis to meet Raul Castro ahead of Cuba visit

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis was scheduled to meet Cuban President Raul Castro at the Vatican May 10, less than five months ahead of the pontiff's visit to the island nation.

A new church management program founded between an American and a Roman university will train church workers in ethics and managing finances.

Deal imports American bottom-line accounting to Italy’s Catholic churches

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VATICAN CITY - A number of Catholic parishes in Italy are set for a management overall, following a new training program launched May 5 between the Villanova School of Business in the United States and the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

The Vatican unveiled the logo for the Holy Year of Mercy, which opens Dec. 8 and runs until Nov. 20, 2016.

Vatican unveils logo, prayer, details of Holy Year of Mercy

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VATICAN CITY - The Holy Year of Mercy will be an opportunity to encourage Christians to meet people's "real needs" with concrete assistance, to experience a "true pilgrimage" on foot, and to send "missionaries of mercy" throughout the world to forgive even the most serious of sins, said Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

A illustration by Sandro Botticelli of the infernal abyss from Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" is part of the manuscript collection of the Vatican Library.

Pope suggests 'Divine Comedy' as important reading for Year of Mercy

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VATICAN CITY - Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" is more than a literary masterpiece, it is an invitation "to rediscover the lost or obscured meaning of our human path and to hope to see again the glowing horizon on which the dignity of the human person shines in its fullness," Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis attends a special audience with members of the German Evangelical-Lutheran Church at the Vatican Dec. 18, 2014.

Issues of marriage, sexuality should not threaten ecumenism, says Pope

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VATICAN CITY - The dignity of human life, family, marriage and sexuality are "urgent" issues that "cannot be silenced or ignored for fear" of threatening ecumenical achievements, said Pope Francis during an audience with Archbishop Antje Jackelen of Uppsala, Sweden.

Pope Francis accepts a relic of Blessed Junipero Serra from Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles at the conclusion of Mass celebrated at the Pontifical North American College in Rome May 2. It was the first papal visit to the U.S. seminary since 1980. The Pope said that while some people seem to relish the idea of listing Bl. Serra's defects, he wondered how many would have the courage he had to leave everything and preach the Gospel.

Pope defends Blessed Serra, prays for missionary zeal in Americas

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VATICAN CITY - People seem to enjoy finding the shortcomings of candidates for sainthood like Blessed Junipero Serra, but they should ask themselves if they would have his generosity and courage to leave everything behind to care for the poor and bring them the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

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