Pope Francis greets U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, patron of the Knights and Dames of Malta, during an audience to exchange Christmas greetings with members of the Roman Curia in Clementine Hall at the Vatican Dec. 22.

Pope warns Vatican officials of 'spiritual Alzheimer's,' other ills

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis' Christmas greeting to the Vatican bureaucracy this year was an extended warning against a host of spiritual ills to which he said Vatican officials are prone, including "spiritual Alzheimer's," "existential schizophrenia," publicity-seeking, the "terrorism of gossip" and even a poor sense of humor.

Pope Francis delivers his blessing during an audience to exchange Christmas greetings with members of the Roman Curia in Clementine Hall at the Vatican Dec. 22.

Pope: Don't miss Christ this Christmas; take time, be ready, let him in

VATICAN CITY - God is knocking to come into people's lives, so be attentive, humble and courageous to let him in, Pope Francis said.

A painting of Mary breast-feeding the infant Jesus is seen at the Milk Grotto chapel in Bethlehem, West Bank.

Believers pray to ‘Our Lady of the Milk’ in this ancient Bethlehem spot where Mary nursed

BETHLEHEM, West Bank - Dozens of photos of smiling babies accompanied by moving testimonials line the walls of Franciscan Brother Lawrence Bode’s office in the Milk Grotto Church where, tradition holds, the Virgin Mary hid in an underground cave in order to breast-feed Jesus as she and Joseph were fleeing King Herod.

U.S. Franciscan Father Michael Perry, minister-general of the Order of Friars Minor.

'Questionable' financial activities leave Franciscans in serious debt

VATICAN CITY - Ineffective budgetary oversight and "questionable" financial activities have plunged the Order of Friars Minor into significant debt and an extremely serious financial situation, its minister general said.

Pope Francis greets one of eight poor people at his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Dec. 17, the pope's 78th birthday. A group of the poor were invited to the audience in celebration of the pope's birthday.

First showers, now sleeping bags: Pope Francis’ birthday gift to the homeless

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis marked his 78th birthday by giving hundreds of sleeping bags to the homeless in Rome, Vatican officials said Dec. 18.

Pope Francis is greeted by 13 new ambassadors to the Holy See as they present their letters of credential at the Vatican Dec. 18. During the special audience, the pope expressed his joy over the historic turning point in U.S.-Cuba relations as the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic ties after half a century.

Pope Francis takes a victory lap after brokering U.S.-Cuba breakthrough

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis welcomed the renewal of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba Dec. 18, saying he was happy to see an end to a half-century standoff between the two nations.

Abraham’s leap of faith bore much fruit

Abraham’s leap of faith bore much fruit

Holy Family (Year B) Dec. 28 (Genesis 15:1-6; 17:3b-5, 15-16; 21:1-7; Psalm 105; Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19; Luke 2:22-40)

Even though Abraham is our father in faith because he trusted in God, that faith was sorely tested. Abraham had left everything behind — his land, kin and security — and became a wanderer, going wherever God led him.

While the holy family rest on the way to Egypt, Joseph bends over a palm tree to provide them with dates. Engraving by F. Brivio after A. Allegri, il Correggio.

Christmas’ checkered origins and sequence

If someone who had never heard the story of Jesus were to ask about His origins, we would, I suspect, begin with the story of His annunciation and birth and end with the story of His resurrection and ascension. While that does capture His life, that’s not how the Gospels either begin or end His story. The story of Jesus and the meaning of Christmas can only really be understood by looking at where Jesus came from, His family tree, and by looking at how His story has continued in history. Indeed, that’s how the Gospels tell His story.

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

Christians can't ignore differences on life issues, Pope says

VATICAN CITY - Christianity has something to say about human dignity, and "it would be a shame" if differing positions on the sanctity of all human life or on marriage were to increase the divisions among Christian churches and communities, Pope Francis said.

Worshippers at Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral light candles for the victims of the Martin Place siege Dec. 16. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney tried to help comfort the people of the city during the Mass.

Pope decries 'inhuman terrorist acts' in Australia, Pakistan and Yemen

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis decried the "inhuman terrorist acts" that killed scores of people the previous day in Australia, Pakistan and Yemen.

Sister Sharon Holland, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, second from left, receives applause after speaking at a Dec. 16 Vatican press conference for release of the final report of a Vatican-ordered investigation of U.S. communit ies of women religious. From left are: Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; Sister Holland; Sister Agnes Mary Donovan, coordinator of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious; and Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman. The 5,000 word report summarizes problems and challenges the women see in their communities and thanks them for their service. The visitation was carried out between 2009 and 2012.

Vatican seeks to bury the hatchet with American nuns

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican ended a six-year inquiry into U.S. nuns with a report designed to bury their differences and celebrate their contribution to the Catholic Church.

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