ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM SLOVAKIA (CNS) -- The debate about denying Communion to politicians who support abortion must be handled in a pastoral way, not by public condemnations that seek to "excommunicate" Catholics who are not in line with church teaching, Pope Francis said.

KOŠICE, Slovakia (CNS) -- Pope Francis made sure that while the world often disregards the young and the marginalized, in the Catholic Church, "no one ought ever to feel out of place or set aside."

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- The violence of the Holocaust and the atrocities committed against the Jewish people are tantamount to blasphemy, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY -- Religious leaders must courageously cooperate in supporting each other in opposing hatred and promoting peace, Pope Francis said.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- Slovakia's tradition of hospitality along with its witness of faith amid persecution must be at the forefront of government policies and the Catholic Church's engagement with the faithful, Pope Francis said.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- Hundreds of men, women and children gathered on the tarmac of Bratislava international airport Sept. 12 to welcome Pope Francis for a visit of less than 72 hours.

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Spending time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament can heal Christians from a self-absorbed religiosity that is ostentatious and triumphalist, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis offered prayers to the victims and families affected by Hurricane Ida, which devastated the southern and northeastern United States.

VATICAN CITY -- The chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan was due in part to a lack of foreseeing all possible eventualities, Pope Francis said in a new interview.

The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations will not meet with the Pope when a meeting scheduled for December between Pope Francis and Canadian Indigenous leaders will be held, and it’s still not certain if any AFN leaders will attend.

VATICAN CITY -- With increased violence unfolding in Afghanistan, Pope Francis appealed to all Christians to fast and intensify their prayers.

VATICAN CITY -- God can be found in the humanity of Jesus and in the people one meets in life, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY -- Hours before the Taliban took control of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, Pope Francis expressed his hope for the peace and safety of the country's citizens.

VATICAN CITY -- Marking the one-year anniversary of a deadly explosion in Beirut, Pope Francis said Lebanon needs concrete help — not just words — from the international community so it can emerge once again as a symbol of fraternity and peace for the Middle East.

ROME -- Italian police have launched an investigation after postal workers discovered an envelope containing three bullets and addressed to "the pope."