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Children perform for Pope Francis, who made a surprise visit to their summer program in the Vatican's Paul VI audience hall July 20, 2020. About 100 children of Vatican employees are attending the program for the month of July.

Pope Francis makes surprise visit to summer camp

VATICAN CITY -- When Zoe, 10, showed up late for summer camp at the Vatican, she did not expect to see Pope Francis there.

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican is seen through a window of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome in this 2018 file photo. On July 20, 2020, the Vatican issued a new instruction on pastoral care that emphasizes the role of lay men and women in the church's mission, but said most parishes must be led by priests.

Vatican: Laity have role, but most parishes must be led by priests

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican's Congregation for Clergy issued a new instruction on pastoral care that specifies the role of lay men and women in the church's mission of evangelization and offers guidance in parish reforms and restructuring.

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica is pictured at the Vatican.

Vatican releases guide on how leaders must handle abuse allegations

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a 17-page document offering a step-by-step guide for how bishops, religious superiors and canon lawyers are supposed to handle accusations of alleged abuse by clerics against minors.

A file photo shows U.S. military personnel working on an F/A-18E Super Hornet as an aircraft carrier conducts drills in the South China Sea.

Vatican task force calls for an end to arms production

VATICAN CITY -- Human health, peace, security and progress would be better served with a complete end to the production of weapons worldwide, said members of a Vatican task force.

Carmelo Barbagallo, president of the Vatican's Financial Information Authority, gestures during a July 2, 2020, interview in Vatican City ahead of the release of the authority's annual report.

Financial watchdog sees increased cooperation with Vatican agencies

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican's financial watchdog agency has expanded its reach of cooperation, and it plans on continuing to increase its staff to better fulfill its mandate.

Demonstrators take part in a rally in Gaza City July 1, 2020, as Palestinians called for a "day of rage" to protest Israel's plan to annex parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Vatican's top diplomat meets about Mideast with U.S., Israeli ambassadors

VATICAN CITY -- Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, met with the U.S. and Israeli ambassadors to the Vatican to express concern that "possible unilateral actions" on their part would further jeopardize peace in the region.

After raid, pope names commissioner for oversight of St. Peter's Basilica

After raid, pope names commissioner for oversight of St. Peter's Basilica

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis appointed a commissioner charged with overseeing and reorganizing the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the office responsible for the physical care and maintenance of St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Francis delivers his blessing as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican June 29, 2020.

World needs more prayer, less complaints Pope Francis says at pallium Mass

VATICAN CITY -- Some people always will want to destroy unity and stifle prophets, Pope Francis said on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

A file photo shows a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe as it is unloaded from a truck after a procession to the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Tijuana, Mexico, where Mass was celebrated. Pope Francis has asked Catholics to add "Comfort of Migrants" and two other titles for Mary to the popular "Litany of Loreto."

Pope Francis adds 'Comfort of Migrants,' other Marian titles to litany

VATICAN CITY -- Among the many titles under which Catholics invoke Mary, Pope Francis has asked them to add "Mother of Mercy," "Mother of Hope" and "Comfort of Migrants."

A photo of Jose Gregorio Hernandez Cisneros, a Venezuelan doctor born in 1864, is displayed following Mass in Caracas June 19, 2020. That day the Vatican announced Pope Francis had advanced the sainthood causes of the doctor, born in 1864, and four others.

Pope Francis advances five sainthood causes

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of three men and two women, including an Italian nun who was brutally murdered by three teenage girls who claimed it had been a satanic sacrifice.

Pope Francis meets Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy region, during an audience with doctors, nurses and health care professionals from the Lombardy region at the Vatican June 20, 2020. The Lombardy region in northern Italy suffered the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Pandemic showed just how much people need each other, Pope Francis says

VATICAN CITY -- During the darkest, most deadly days of the COVID-19 pandemic in northern Italy, medical professionals and volunteers were "silent artisans of a culture of closeness and tenderness," a culture that cannot be allowed to disappear, Pope Francis said.

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