On March 13, 2013 the new pope, a surprise selection, received thunderous cheers when introduced to thousands of pilgrims packed into a drizzly St. Peter’s Square. It was a precedent-setting night. Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the first South American pope, the first Jesuit pope and the first pope named Francis.

VATICAN – Liberating the poor, the oppressed and the persecuted is an integral part of what God wants his church to do, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN – In light of this year's Synod of Bishops on young people, Pope Francis has asked that the Way of the Cross meditations be written by a group of students.

VATICAN – Pope Francis has cleared the way for the canonizations of Blesseds Paul VI and Oscar Romero.

ROME –The Catholic Church and Catholic agencies that work with migrants and refugees around the world are called to educate, advocate and seek alternative host countries in the face of a growing "refusal to welcome" newcomers, as the Vatican secretary of state defined the situation.

VATICAN – Christians must let go of resentments and forgive those who have wronged them so that they may experience God's forgiveness, Pope Francis.

VATICAN – Pope Francis has decreed that Latin-rite Catholics around the world will mark the feast of "the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church" on the Monday after Pentecost each year.

VATICAN – Pope Francis used a meeting with thousands of Italian nurses to pay tribute to a nurse he believes saved his life by arguing with his doctors that he needed more aggressive antibiotics to treat a lung infection.

VATICAN – Like Jesus cast out the merchants from the temple in Jerusalem, we should drive the desire for personal gain and advantage from our hearts, replacing it with love, Pope Francis said Sunday.

DUBLIN – Some of the church's best-known prelates have been lined up to expound on church teachings on the family for the ninth World Meeting of Families.

VATICAN – Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals discussed the possibility of establishing regional tribunals around the world that would judge cases of sexual abuse allegedly committed by clergy, the Vatican spokesman said.

REGINA – In modern society, people talk plenty about nature and the environment, but when it comes down to reality, they don’t actually experience what God has created around us.

ROME – Rome's Colosseum, long a symbol of the persecution of early Christians, was bathed in red light late Feb. 24 as a reminder of and a prayer for the thousands of Christians being persecuted for their faith today.

OTTAWA – Msgr. Jose Bettencourt, an Ottawa priest who has served as Head of Protocol in the Vatican since 2012, has been named an Apostolic Nuncio and appointed as nuncio to Armenia.

VATICAN – On Sunday Pope Francis said Jesus never leaves his followers alone, but always prepares them for the trials they will face, just as he during his transfiguration, which helped his disciples to understand and cope with his Passion and death.