IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi will retire as head of Vatican Radio Feb. 29, as the Secretariat for Communications takes on the general administration of the radio. Giacomo Ghisani, an Italian layman and vice general director of the secretariat, will be …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Let no one feel ignored or mistreated when they encounter a member of the Roman Curia or staff working at the Vatican, Pope Francis said. May everyone experience “the considerate care of the Good Shepherd” himself, who is the foundation …

IMAGE: CNS photo/Diego Azubel, EPA By Junno Arocho Esteves VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis called for a moratorium on executions during the Year of Mercy and said the fifth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” applies not only to the innocent but to the guilty as well. “Even a criminal …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The pope is human. Pope Francis demonstrated that in Mexico, as he does wherever he goes, and most people find it attractive most of the time. In Pope Francis, Catholics can see a real person trying to live his faith …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Australian Cardinal George Pell called for an inquiry into the leaking of accusations that he is under police investigation for the alleged abuse of minors. Calling the accusations “without foundation and utterly false,” the cardinal “strongly denies any wrongdoing. If …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM MEXICO (CNS) — As the plane carrying him back to Rome from Mexico was flying over Texas, Pope Francis insisted building walls to keep immigrants out of one’s country is un-Christian. Holding his customary in-flight news conference Feb. 17 …

IMAGE: CNS/Nancy Wiechec By EL PASO, Texas (CNS) — A group of people, mostly migrants, joined Pope Francis from afar as he celebrated Mass that closed his visit to Mexico. Gathered less than a football field length from the altar where the pope prayed Feb. 17 in Ciudad Juarez, across …

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM MEXICO (CNS) — With physicians across Central and South American urging women to postpone pregnancy because of the Zika virus that causes birth defects, Pope Francis said using contraceptives could be a “lesser evil.” Holding a news conference Feb. …

Vatican City — In his hour-long inflight news conference on his way from Juarez to Rome, Pope Francis touched on a wide range of hot-button topics, including immigration, pedophilia, the spread of the Zika virus and his meeting with Patriarch Kirill. In the 60 minute interview, the Pope answered 12 questions posed …

IMAGE: CNS/Nancy Phelan Wiechec By Mark Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) — The late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s devotion to his Catholic faith and his family, and his dedication to serving the law and his country, make him a role model for public servants of all faiths, Washington Cardinal Donald W. …