In an encyclical that might be characterized as ripped from the headlines, Pope Francis speaks some hard truths to Canadians, to Catholics and to the world.

VATICAN CITY – The dream of restoring full unity between Catholics and Orthodox can be a prophetic sign of legitimate differences coexisting rather than just simply agreeing on everything, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY – The Holy Spirit continues to give Christians different gifts and to call them to share those gifts with each other in a community marked by forgiveness and "unity in diversity," Pope Francis said on Pentecost.

VANCOUVER – Four hundred years after he was killed with an axe while trying to unify the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, St. Josaphat’s goal of church unity remains as important as ever, say priests of the religious order that resulted from his reforms.

VATICAN CITY – During his Sunday (Feb. 26) visit to Rome’s Anglican parish of All Saints, which marked the first time a Roman Pontiff has set foot in an Anglican parish inside his own diocese, Pope Francis voiced gratitude for the good relations Catholics and Anglicans now enjoy, and said that on the path toward full communion, humility has to be the point of departure.

VATICAN CITY – Christ's call for his disciples to be one requires that even as they try to resolve their differences on doctrinal and moral questions, they must get used to working and praying together, Pope Francis said.

How difficult is human relationship! How glorious, how deeply and universally sought-after it is! Our hunger for relationship can draw out the best and the worst in us. The deepest wrestling is with one another, in relationship — be it person to person, nation to nation, or Church to Church.  

WASHINGTON – All the distrust, vitriol and rancor stirred up during the 2016 presidential election campaign did not go away when votes were tallied.

I see the world enduring endless strife and conflict. But beyond this chaos, I see people standing to fight for humanity.

Jesus prays for the unity of Christians, but within the Church there are those who sow weeds (It: zizzanieri), those who divide and destroy the community with their tongues. That was the message of Pope Francis at the morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta.

Recently I received, on the same day, articles from three different sources. One was about the 219 girls captured by Boko Haram who are still missing. The second, about “way more” than 1,200 aboriginal Canadian women missing or murdered. And the third, about 4,472 baby girls “unaccounted for” in Canada over the past 20 years, referring to female fetuses aborted in favour of male children.

Pope Francis delivered the homily at the closing Vespers of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the Basilica of St. Paul "Outside the Walls" in Rome on Monday evening. Below, please find Vatican Radio's full English translation of the Holy Father's prepared remarks.

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis was selected to be the 2016 recipient of Germany's Charlemagne Prize for his commitment in promoting European unity.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - San Bernardino Bishop Gerald Barnes urged people to pray for unity and healing after the mass shooting in San Bernardino Dec. 2 that left 14 people dead and 21 others wounded.

KAMPALA, Uganda - Witnessing to what is true, good and beautiful -- even if that witness is motivated by different faiths -- brings people together and strengthens a nation, Pope Francis said.