ROME – Lent is a time for Christians to get their hearts in sync with the heart of Jesus, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN – Waiting for a Vatican verdict on allegations that he sexually abused several boys in the 1970s, Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron of Agana, Guam, attended one of Pope Francis' weekly general audiences in February.

VATICAN – Formalizing their unity in the intimate setting of the chapel of the papal residence, Pope Francis and Melkite Patriarch Joseph Absi concelebrated Mass together in the presence of members of the Melkite synod of bishops.

VATICAN – After the Angelus Sunday, with the help of a tablet and two young people, Pope Francis signed up for World Youth Day 2019 in Panama, announcing that registration for the international event has opened.

CAMBRIDGE, England – Pope Francis is inviting Catholics to take a more holistic approach to their faith, and that requires a change in underlying assumptions, said Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich.

ROME – Even though the Catholic Church has all the necessary norms and laws in place to safeguard minors from abuse by clergy, the problem continues to be a lack in understanding or caring about those rules and guidelines and applying them effectively, said one Jesuit expert.

VATICAN – A conference on human trafficking and modern-day slavery was held at the Vatican Feb. 8-9, bringing together church leaders and senior police officers from more than 30 different countries to discuss progress and setbacks in initiatives.

VATICAN – From his advocacy for migrants to opening up the Sistine Chapel to Rome’s homeless, Pope Francis has been an outspoken voice for people suffering on the margins.

VATICAN – Because everyone has a right to life, liberty and personal security, nations must find nonviolent solutions to conflict and difficulties, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY – To follow Jesus, one must set out like the Magi, leaving comfort behind, following the light and offering the Lord gifts without expecting anything in return, Pope Francis said Jan. 6 during Mass on the feast of the Epiphany.

VATICAN – Those who recognize the Lord in the baby Jesus in the manger also should recognize his presence in children suffering today because of war, poverty and immigration, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN – The people who work at the Vatican and in the Roman Curia are supposed to be "sensitive antennas" that faithfully transmit the desires of the Pope and receive information from dioceses and Eastern Catholic churches around the world, Pope Francis said.

The Our Father is the foundational prayer of Christian faith. So perhaps it is fitting that Pope Francis has placed it in the spotlight as we make ready to celebrate the Saviour’s birth.

MUNICH, Germany – The controversy regarding Amoris Laetitia has come to an end, according to German cardinal Walter Kasper. 

VATICAN – When it comes to migration, Pope Francis said the world, particularly Christians, must approach the issue with a “contemplative gaze” that goes beyond polemics and is guided by justice and solidarity, helping to build peace at both the global and local level.