Pope Francis

As Pope Francis became the first pope to celebrate Mass on the French island of Corsica Dec. 15, the usual excitement of an open-air Mass with the pope was combined with the flair and pageantry of a Renaissance fair.

Making his customary visit to the Rome Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray before his trip to the French island of Corsica, Pope Francis also met and prayed with dozens of actors staging a living Nativity scene.

As the fighting in Gaza drags on, Pope Francis welcomed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the Vatican.

The "most beautiful gift" the Catholic Church and its members can give the world is a reason to live with hope, Pope Francis said.

The "arrogance" of the invaders attacking Ukraine and Palestine blocks the dialogue necessary to build peace in those countries, Pope Francis said.

With Ukraine's first lady seated in the front row, Pope Francis told people at his general audience that it is "a shameful tragedy for all humanity" that Russia's war on Ukraine has lasted more than 1,000 days.

Pope Francis met with a group of Israelis and their family members who were freed after being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas and other Palestinian militants.

Remembering the cardinals and bishops who died in the past year, Pope Francis prayed that after their loving service to the Catholic Church "they may exult in eternal communion with the saints."

Pope Francis prayed at the graves of children and of miscarried babies on the feast of All Souls before concelebrating Mass with several hundred mourners.

Following the lead of our august newspaper confreres at the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and possibly the Muncie Morning Tidbit, The Catholic Register will not be endorsing anyone in the election race to succeed Pope Francis.