A copy of the apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium" ("The Joy of the Gospel") by Pope Francis is seen during a news conference at the Vatican Nov. 26. In his first extensive piece of writing as pope, Pope Francis lays out a vision of the Catholic Chu rch dedicated to evangelization, with a focus on society's poorest and most vulnerable, including the aged and unborn.

Pope: Opposition to abortion isn't 'conservative,' it's result of faith

VATICAN CITY - Defending human dignity and protecting society's most vulnerable necessarily means protecting the unborn and defending their right to life, Pope Francis said in his apostolic exhortation.

Pope says only men can be priests, but women must have voice in church

Pope says only men can be priests, but women must have voice in church

VATICAN CITY - The Catholic Church is not going to change its position on the inadmissibility of women priests, Pope Francis said, but it does have to stop linking all decision making to ordination and allow women to have a voice in deliberations.

Pope frames vision for Church outreach at every level

Pope frames vision for Church outreach at every level

VATICAN CITY - Here are a few of the main features of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), which was released Nov. 26 at the Vatican:

Pope Francis holds a bronze reliquary containing the relics of St. Peter the Apostle on the altar during a Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 24. The bone fragments, which were discovered during excavations of the necropolis under St. Peter's Basilica in the 1940s, are kept in the pope's private chapel but had never been displayed in public.

Pope venerates apostle's relics, urges people focus on Christ

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis closed the Year of Faith by calling on people to keep Christ at the center of their lives, especially in times of trouble.

With document on evangelization, Pope makes real authorial debut

With document on evangelization, Pope makes real authorial debut

VATICAN CITY - With his apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium" (The Joy of the Gospel), which the Vatican has scheduled for publication Nov. 26, Pope Francis finally makes his real debut as papal author.

Pope Francis attends a meeting with the patriarchs and major archbishops of the Eastern Catholic churches in Syria, Iraq and and other parts of the Middle East, at the Vatican Nov. 21.

Pope prays for peace, full religious freedom for all in Middle East

VATICAN CITY - After a two-hour private meeting with the patriarchs and major archbishops of the Eastern Catholic churches, Pope Francis prayed for peace and full religious freedom throughout the Middle East.

Archbishop Fouad Tawl, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, waves to the more than 6,000 parishioners, welcoming them to a special Mass to mark the start of the final week of the Year of Faith.

Year of Faith coming to an end

NAZARETH - Archbishop Fouad Tawl, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, urged “faith and only faith” during a Mass celebrated Nov. 17 in the city of Jesus’ childhood to mark the final week of the Year of Faith.

In a chaotic world, treasure each day

1st Sunday of Advent (Year A) Dec. 1, (Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44)

The image of beating swords and spears into ploughshares and pruning hooks is both beautiful and painful. It is beautiful in that it represents the heartfelt yearning of humanity for millennia for a time when nations no longer resort to war. The pain lies in the realization that we are ever so far from this state of harmony and peace.

Strains in the academy and the pew

There has always been an innate and healthy tension between theology and catechesis, between what’s happening in theology departments in universities and the church pew. Theologians and bishops are often not each other’s favourite people. And that’s understandable. Why?

Pope Francis embraces Vinicio Riva, 53, during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 6. Riva, who is afflicted with neurofibromatosis, said receiving the pope's embrace was like being in paradise. Riva is from a small village nea r Vincenza in northern Italy.

Pope's embrace was heavenly, says man with disfiguring disease

VATICAN CITY - For someone who has frequently been shunned and humiliated because of a disease that has severely disfigured his entire body, receiving the pope's loving embrace was like being in paradise.

On Nov. 26 the Vatican will publish "Evangelii Gaudium" ("The Joy of the Gospel”), Pope Francis' first apostolic exhortation.

Pope Francis' first apostolic exhortation to be published Nov. 26

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican will publish Pope Francis' first apostolic exhortation Nov. 26, two days after he formally delivers it to the church at a Mass concluding the 2012-13 Year of Faith.

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