VATICAN CITY - Welcoming in a new year, Pope Francis said it was time to stop provoking and ignoring violence, tragedy and conflict in the world, and begin building peace at home.

VATICAN CITY - In the first nine and a half months of Pope Francis' pontificate, more than 6.6 million people participated in papal events at the Vatican, including weekly general audiences, group audiences, liturgies and recitations of the Angelus and “Regina Coeli” on Sundays and holy days.

Baptism of the Lord (Year A) Jan. 12 (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17)

Who was the prophetic figure described in Isaiah’s Song of the Servant? A name was not given, but clearly the identity must have been clear to the generation for whom this was written. Many believe it was a collective symbol of the nation of Israel. This would fit nicely with the mission described in the passage: justice, light to the nations, healer of the suffering and liberator of the oppressed.

VATICAN CITY - The new year will be brighter only if everyone steps outside their safe havens, gets involved and works together to solve local problems with generosity and love, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY - Just as people must never ignore the plight of today's immigrants and refugees, they must also remember today's "hidden exiles" -- the elderly and other relatives who are abandoned or forgotten by their own families, Pope Francis said.

The past year didn’t really begin March 13. There were signifi-cant events in the life of Canada, the world and the Church in January and February — before Cardinal Jorge Bergolio walked out onto that balcony above St. Peter’s Square and asked us for our prayers. It only seems that our world before Pope Francis is a land far, far away and long, long ago.

VATICAN CITY - Three days after Pope Francis paid his predecessor a visit on Christmas Eve, retired Pope Benedict joined the pope for lunch at the Vatican guesthouse.

VATICAN CITY - Observing the feast of the church's first martyr, Pope Francis prayed for Christians suffering persecution and discrimination around the world, even in countries that nominally honor religious liberty.

Epiphany of the Lord (Year A) Jan. 5 (Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

Epiphany has always been associated with light and hope. Since each year we celebrate this feast with the same readings, we might ask how the past year has been different from any other year and what 2014 might hold for us.

VATICAN CITY - The world famous Nativity scenes of Naples never follow just the biblical account of Jesus' birth; for one thing, the figures usually are dressed in 18th-century costumes, but also it's not unusual for a modern-day politician or even pope to enter the scene.