The Catholic Church must defend the traditional family without perpetuating the subjugation of women or forcing them to bear the greatest burden for keeping the family going, said speakers at a Vatican conference.

The Catholic Church must help young people understand that marriage isn’t always easy, “but it is so beautiful,” Pope Francis said.

Ten days after he took office as Vatican secretary of state, Archbishop Pietro Parolin was released from the hospital Oct. 25, following surgery for an unspecified illness.

Even though human beings are weak and imperfect, Christians can’t be lazy and wallow in sin, Pope Francis said.

The leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion told the parents of the future British king to “make sure he knows who Jesus is.”

Pope Francis has authorized a leave of absence for a German bishop at the centre of controversy over expenditures for his residence and diocesan centre.

God’s love and the salvation offered in Jesus cannot be understood using intelligence alone and, in fact, trying to make it all reasonable can make one crazy, Pope Francis said.

Religious leaders urged President Barack Obama in an Oct. 22 letter to step up efforts at normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba.

Money by itself isn’t a problem, but greed and an attachment to money cause evil and destroy families and relationships, Pope Francis said.

Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle apologized for what he called the sins of the Catholic Church against non-Catholics and the poor.