By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — On successive days in mid-January, Pope Francis and his top collaborator at the Vatican made public statements that provided a lesson in Franciscan contextualization of highly loaded moral issues.

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — In the first nine and a half months of Pope Francis‘ pontificate, more than 6.6 million people participated in papal events at the Vatican, including weekly general audiences, group audiences, liturgies and recitations of the Angelus and “Regina Coeli” on …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph From Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation (see March 2013 cover) to Pope Francis’ election (April 2013 cover) and everything since, The Catholic Telegraph has had the story. The year 2013 saw the paper’s cover redesigned, and an increased emphasis on the website and social media, …

Staff & CNS Reports From the moment he stepped onto the balcony following the words “Habemus Papam,” Pope Francis has captured the attention of the world. Acknowledging that impact, TIME magazine has named the Holy Father as its 2013 Person of the Year. Pope Francis earned the nod by beating …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — People must stand united against the scandal of hunger while avoiding food waste and irresponsible use of the world’s resources, Pope Francis said. People should “stop thinking that our daily actions do not have an impact on the lives of those …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — In an effort to better implement the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Holy See has begun to draw up its own safe-environment program for children in Vatican City State and to offer human rights courses for its …

Report Prayer is powerful. Pope Francis and Caritas Internationalis, along with Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services, later this month are launching a prayer offensive against world hunger. Archbishop of Cincinnati Dennis M. Schnurr strongly supports this initiative. Here is his statement:

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — In his first extensive piece of writing as pope, Pope Francis lays out a vision of the Catholic Church dedicated to evangelization in a positive key, with a focus on society’s poorest and most vulnerable, including the aged and unborn. …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis thanked the Knights of Columbus for being in solidarity with him, something he said is seen not only in the money they give for his charities, but also in their prayers, sacrifices and charitable activities.

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — The predicament of divorced and remarried Catholics will be a major topic of discussion when bishops from around the world meet at the Vatican in October 2014. The Vatican announced Oct. 8 that an extraordinary session of the Synod of …