Pope Francis opened a synod Sunday to champion the Amazon's poverty-stricken and isolated indigenous communities by condemning the destructive "interests" he blamed for the fires that devastated the region.

Pope blames Amazon fires on destructive 'interests'

Pope Francis installed new cardinals on Saturday, putting his stamp on the future of the Roman Catholic Church with men who share his vision for social justice, the rights of immigrants and dialogue with Islam.

Pope installs new cardinals, puts another stamp on Church future

Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for peace in Sudan following a bloody crackdown by security forces on pro-democracy protesters in Khartoum last week. "The news coming from Sudan is giving rise to pain and concern.

Pope Francis appeals for peace, dialogue in Sudan

Pope Francis apologised to the Roma people on Sunday for the Roman Catholic Church's "discrimination" against them as he wrapped up a visit to Romania. Making up around 10 per cent of Romania's 20 million people, many Roma are marginalised and live in poverty and have suffered centuries of discrimination and insults.

Pope apologises to Roma for Catholic Church's 'discrimination'

Pope Francis paid tribute on Wednesday to Chinese Catholics for holding on to their faith despite "hardships and trials", an apparent reference to Beijing's restrictions on religion.

Pope denounces 'hardships and trials' facing Catholics in China

Pope Francis paid tribute on Saturday to journalists killed while doing their jobs, saying media freedom is a key indicator of a country's health. In an address to the Foreign Press Association in Italy, he urged journalists to shun fake news and continue reporting on the plight of people who no longer make headlines but are still suffering, specifically mentioning the Rohingya and Yazidi.

Pope pays tribute journalists killed; says press freedom vital

A group of 19 Catholic priests and academics have appealed to bishops to declare Pope Francis a heretic, in the latest ultra-conservative broadside against the pontiff over a range of topics from communion for the divorced to religious diversity.

Conservatives want Catholic bishops to declare pope a heretic

Pope Francis on Friday (April 19) presided at a Good Friday service on the day Christian recall Jesus' death by crucifixion, and listened as a preacher denounced the widespread inequality in the world.

Papal Good Friday service draws attention to world's poor

Tens of thousands of people waved palm and olive branches in St. Peter's Square on Palm Sunday (April 14) as Pope Francis led the world's Catholics into Holy Week commemorations ahead of Easter calling for the Church to be humble.

On Palm Sunday, Pope says Church needs to be humble

Former Pope Benedict has blamed the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal on the effects of the sexual revolution of the 1960s, homosexual cliques in seminaries and what he called a general collapse in morality.

Sexual revolution of 1960s led to Church abuse crisis, ex-pope says

Pope Francis told Morocco's tiny Catholic community on Sunday their role in the predominantly Muslim country was not to covert their neighbours but live in brotherhood with all other faiths.

Conversion is not your mission, pope tells Catholics in Morocco

Pope Francis said on Saturday that problems of migration would never be resolved by physical barriers but instead required social justice and correcting the world's economic imbalances.

Pope in Morocco says physical barriers won't solve migration issue

Pope Francis on Friday enacted sweeping new legislation to protect children from sexual abuse within the Vatican and other Holy See institutions in Rome as well as by its diplomatic corps worldwide.

Pope enacts new legislation to prevent child abuse in Vatican

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - March 25, 2019

Pope Francis promised that concrete action against child sexual abuse by priests would result from a conference he opened on Thursday, with one cardinal acknowledging that the Church had to fight "the enemy within".

Victims testify at child sex abuse conference, Pope promises to fight ‘enemy within’

The United Arab Emirates is projecting itself as a leader of inter-communal and inter-faith harmony with the first-ever visit by a Catholic pope to the Gulf and an inter-faith conference that is as much about dialogue as it is about absolute political control.

Pope visit boosts UAE efforts to redefine concepts of tolerance

Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that the Catholic Church was "wounded by sin" in a message addressed to priests and seminarians reeling from sexual abuse scandals and coverups.

On sex abuse scandals, Pope says Catholic Church 'wounded by sin'

The partial government shutdown, which is the longest ever, has left more than 800,000 federal government workers out of work across the key departments.

Government shutdown because of opposition Democrats: US President Trump

Pope Francis has said it is okay for couples to fight — heck it's normal — but he added that they should not do it in front of the children. Francis said couples should not fight in front of their children because of the anguish it causes them.

Don't fight in front of the kids: Pope Francis

'I cannot refrain from speaking of one of the plagues of our time, which sadly has also involved some members of the clergy,' Pope Francis said.

Pope vows justice for victims of 'vile' sex abuse

Pope Francis urged European leaders on Sunday to stop bickering over the fate of 49 migrants stuck aboard two humanitarian rescue ships on the Mediterranean and let them land at a safe port of call.

Pope enters migrant ships dispute with appeal for safe ports

Gunmen kill at least 28 in raid on Afghan government building Gunmen who raided a government building in the Afghan capital killed at least 28 people - mostly government employees - and wounded more than 20 others in a seven-hour standoff with police that ended on Monday night, Afghan authorities said.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Pope Francis said Wednesday that Christmas cannot just be about swapping presents and indulging in a massive consumer binge, urging the faithful to remember its original purpose to mark Christ's birth.

Merry Christmas but remember, the Pope says it's not about consumerism

Pope Francis railed against social inequality Sunday, lamenting "the din of the rich few" drowning out the voice of the needy, as he marked the second "World Day of the Poor".

Pope denounces 'din of rich few' on World Day of Poor

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