Vatican News

Rome summit looks to improve church’s handling of child sexual abuse

June 25, 2015

ROME - As the Vatican continues to work on policies to combat clergy sex abuse, a leading pontifical university in Rome hosted a conference this week on how the Catholic Church can better address the current crisis and released details of a new diploma program on protecting children.

Synod working document expands scope of family issues, pastoral needs

June 23, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The working document for this fall's Synod of Bishops on the Family called for expanded discussion and pastoral solutions to challenges such as how economic disparity and environmental degradation affect families as well as the impact of infertility, aging and disability.

Pope Francis contemplates Shroud of Turin, calls it 'icon of love'

June 22, 2015

VATICAN CITY - It took place in silence and lasted only a few minutes, but Pope Francis' time of prayer and contemplation before the Shroud of Turin was marked with gestures of reverence and tenderness.

People are destroying the earth, Pope says in encyclical

June 18, 2015

[Read the Pope's encyclical on the environment here.] VATICAN CITY - The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home.

Pope Francis: Seek forgiveness for shutting out refugees

June 17, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis said people who shut out refugees should seek forgiveness June 17, after clashes on Italy’s borders as European countries try to push back against a wave of migrants fleeing by boat from Libya.

Read encyclical on care for creation with 'open heart,' Pope asks world

June 17, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Appealing to the entire world, Pope Francis urged everyone to read his upcoming encyclical on the care of creation and to better protect a damaged earth.

Vatican outraged by encyclical leak

June 16, 2015

The most anticipated papal encyclical in history has anticipated itself. What an angry Vatican spokesman called an “intermediate draft” of the letter from Pope Francis on the environment was leaked by an Italian magazine three days before its official launch.

Pope Francis: ‘Let us modify our relationship with natural resources’

June 12, 2015

VATICAN CITY - People must change their lifestyles and attitudes to help defeat hunger, Pope Francis said June 11, a hint of what may be coming in his much-anticipated environmental encyclical next week.

Pope Francis to open 30-bed homeless shelter a few steps from Vatican walls

June 11, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis will open a homeless shelter on the edge of Vatican City, the latest move by the pontiff to help poor people in Rome.

Pope OKs plan to investigate, judge bishops who fail to act on abuse

June 10, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has approved new procedures for the Vatican to investigate and judge claims of "abuse of office" by bishops who allegedly failed to protect minors and vulnerable adults from sex abuse.