Faith

Pope John Paul II greets the World Youth Day crowd in Czestochowa, Poland, in 1992. An estimated 1.5 million people from 80 countries attended the third international World Youth Day.

St. John Paul II, a pope who gave himself to the end

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I once found myself in a room full of photographers forced to make a passionate defence of the Pope. It was an odd sort of defence. I was defending the Pope’s right to look frail, weak, lost and vulnerable in public.

A homeless woman walks past a Swiss guard as she enters the Vatican March 26. While enjoying a private visit to the Sistine Chapel, homeless people were surprised by a visit from Pope Francis.

Pope joins homeless people for private tour of Sistine Chapel

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VATICAN CITY - While enjoying a private visit to the Sistine Chapel, a group of VIP guests -- homeless people who live around the Vatican -- were surprised by a visit from Pope Francis.

Pope Francis hands his speech to Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of Naples, Italy, after deciding to speak off the cuff during a meeting with religious at the cathedral in Naples March 21.

No ifs, ands or buts: Christians must live Christ's way, Pope says

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VATICAN CITY - Don't be "halfway Christians," who accept Christ, but then start looking for excuses and stammering, "yes, but ..." when it is time to follow his way, Pope Francis said at a morning Mass.

Nuns greet Pope Francis during his meeting with religious at the cathedral in Naples, Italy, March 21.

Nuns mob Pope before blood of Naples' patron saint miraculously liquefies

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VATICAN CITY - After Pope Francis was mobbed by a group of cloistered nuns, and at the end of a spontaneity-filled meeting with priests, seminarians and religious in the cathedral of Naples, a vial of dried blood of the city's patron saint appeared to miraculously liquefy.

Pope Francis greets the crowd after celebrating Mass in Piazza Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, March 21.

Pope preaches hope to Naples' unemployed, immigrants, prisoners

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VATICAN CITY - Hope is the first act of resistance to evil, Pope Francis told the people of Naples as he pleaded for respect for the dignity of immigrants, jobs for the unemployed and the conversion of the city's notorious mafia families.

A man joins in chanting for the repeal of the death penalty in Maryland in January 2013. Maryland's death penalty was abolished in the same year May 2, signed into law by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Pope Francis calls death penalty 'unacceptable,' urges abolition

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis came out squarely against the death penalty once again, calling it "unacceptable" regardless of the seriousness of the crime of the condemned.

Pope Francis accepted the Scotland Cardinal Keith O'Brien’s decision to renounce duties as a cardinal. While O’Brien can still keep the title of cardinal, he won’t be a papal advisor or be an elector of a future pope. He will retain the roles as a priest and retired bishop, according to the Vatican Press office.

Pope accepts cardinal's decision to renounce duties, rights of office

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis accepted Scotland Cardinal Keith O'Brien's decision to renounce all "duties and privileges" associated with being a cardinal.

Blessed Louis and Marie Zelie Guerin Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, are pictured in a combination photo created from images provided by the Sanctuary of Lisieux in France. Pope Francis is expected to canonize the couple during the world Synod of Bishops on the family in October.

Pope recognizes miracle needed to declare French couple saints

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has approved a miracle so that, for the first time, a married couple can be canonized together.

Reforms launched by Pope Francis when he assumed the papacy two years ago are becoming bogged down in consultations and infighting.

Francis’ reforms run into strong headwinds

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VATICAN CITY - One reason the cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis two years ago was a brief but powerful speech the Argentine cardinal made shortly before the conclave in which he denounced the “theological narcissism” of the Roman Catholic Church.

Graves are seen in the Teutonic cemetery at the Vatican March 6. The history of the cemetery dates to Pope Leo III's grant of land to Charlemagne to build a hospice for pilgrims, a church, and a burial ground for German and Flemish pilgrims who died in Rome.

Historic cemetery inside Vatican walls a 'little piece of paradise'

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VATICAN CITY - A small, inconspicuous cemetery inside the Vatican walls made headlines recently with the burial of a Belgian homeless man, Willy Herteleer.

St. John Paul II pushes open the Holy Door and walks into St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve 1999. Opening a sealed Holy Door is one of the traditions that usually marks a Holy Year.

At Lenten penance service, Pope announces Holy Year of Mercy

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, to highlight the Catholic Church's "mission to be a witness of mercy."

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