News/International

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - When Pope Benedict XVI joined Twitter in 2012 and Pope Francis appeared on Instagram the following year, media watchers may have thought they were witnessing a Vatican revolution. In both cases, however, the pontiffs were merely following in a long tradition.

NEW YORK (CNS) - Laughingly describing himself as America's most famous Catholic who as an 11-year-old altar boy who put in his time "with the uppin' and the downin', the crissin' and the crossin'," Stephen Colbert headlined the 68th annual dinner of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation held Oct. 17 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

MANCHESTER, England (CNS) - The persecution of Christians around the world has intensified over the last two-and-a-half years, according to a review of religious freedom in 30 countries.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The president of the German bishops' conference said he was "strengthened and encouraged" by his discussion with Pope Francis about the case of a German bishop under fire for a massive building project that critics have denounced as extravagant.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "As a good Jesuit," Pope Francis knows it is best not to try to make a retreat where one lives and works, so he has decided the annual papal Lenten retreat with Roman Curia officials will be held outside Rome, a Vatican spokesman said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Francis gave Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a fancy pen as a gift, and Abbas told the pope, "I hope to sign the peace agreement with Israel with this pen."

Pope Francis responded with his hope that the agreement would be reached "soon, soon."

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (CNS) - A miscommunication between the Vatican and New Zealand church officials resulted in an adventurous arrival for the prelate who coordinates a key commission of cardinals that advises Pope Francis.

MANILA, Philippines - Like many others in the town of Jetafe, Fr. Chito Lozada and his staff at Santo Nino parish did not go inside their homes Oct. 15; they remained outdoors.

They feared aftershocks that continued after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck earlier in the day.

ROME - The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X offered to celebrate a funeral for convicted war criminal Erich Priebke after the diocese of Rome said the service would be allowed only in a private home, but violent protests outside the chapel forced cancellation of the Mass.

NAIROBI, Kenya - Foreign intervention in the fight against al-Shabaab militants in Somalia is necessary, but not an absolute requirement, said the leader of the Catholic Church in Somalia.