February 12, 2020 Pope refuses to ordain married men in the Amazon, instead addresses global warming Pope Francis did not approve the ordination of married men to address the Catholic Church's priest shortage in the Amazon, but instead wrote a climate change-focused "love letter to the Amazonian rain forests and its indigenous peoples," according to the Associated Press.
January 25, 2020 VP Mike Pence meets Pope Francis in private audience at Vatican U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday, discussing the anti-abortion march in Washington and telling the pontiff, "You made me a hero" back home by granting him a private audience
January 15, 2020 Pope Francis names first woman as manager in Vatican Secretariat of State In a rare move, Pope Francis has for the first time chosen a woman to hold a high-level position in the Vatican's Secretariat of State, one of its most important offices.
January 12, 2020 Pope Benedict XVI breaks silence with new book supporting priest celibacy Retired Pope Benedict XVI has reemerged as the co-author of a new book expressing his belief in priestly celibacy, a potential point of conflict with Pope Francis after bishops in the recent synod on the Amazon called for the ordination of married men as priests to address the Roman Catholic priest shortage.
January 8, 2020 Pope Francis agrees to papal kiss after hand-slapping controversy with one condition: 'Don't bite!' "I'll give you a kiss, but keep calm," he said. "Don't bite!
January 8, 2020 Pope Francis asks everyone to pray for Australia amid devastating fires Pope Francis is calling on the faithful to pray for Australia as major fires rage across the nation.
January 1, 2020 Pope Francis apologizes for losing his patience after slapping woman’s hand Pope Francis has apologized after he appeared to lose his cool when a woman violently grabbed his hand while he greeted pilgrims at the Vatican on New Year’s Eve.
December 31, 2019 Pope Francis struggles to free himself from woman in St. Peter's Square, video shows A visibly annoyed Pope Francis slapped away a woman's hand and pulled himself away from her while greeting a crowd in St. Peter's Square Tuesday night.
December 31, 2019 2020 is the 'Year of the Bible' for many Christians Christian leaders have a vision for 2020 as the Year of the Bible for millions around the world.
December 25, 2019 Pope Francis delivers Christmas Day message of hope in face of darkness Pope Francis offered a message of hope during his traditional Christmas Day Mass in St. Peter’s Square, telling the thousands who attended the service that “the light of Christ is greater” than the darkness “in human hearts” and “in economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts.”
