VATICAN CITY -- As thousands of athletes gathered for the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Pope Francis gave them his blessing and extended it to those organizing and supporting the events.

VATICAN CITY -- Older people are not "leftovers" to be discarded; rather, they continue to be precious nourishment for families, young people and communities, Pope Francis said in the homily he wrote for the Mass marking the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis expressed his condolences after a suicide bombing in a busy market in Baghdad claimed the lives of dozens of people.

VATICAN CITY — Saying he was acting for the good of the unity of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has restored limits on the celebration of the Mass according to the Roman Missal in use before the Second Vatican Council, overturning or severely restricting permissions St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI had given to celebrate the so-called Tridentine-rite Mass.

VATICAN CITY -- Ten days after undergoing intestinal surgery, Pope Francis was released from Rome's Gemelli hospital, the Vatican confirmed.

VATICAN CITY -- Despite initial estimates of requiring a week of inpatient care, Pope Francis will continue his recovery as a patient at Rome's Gemelli hospital after undergoing colon surgery, the Vatican press office said.

VATICAN CITY -- Pilgrims and well-wishers gathered at Rome's Gemelli hospital to greet Pope Francis as he made his first public appearance in a week after undergoing intestinal surgery.

VATICAN CITY -- Recovering from colon surgery, Pope Francis briefly ran a fever late July 7, leading his doctors to perform a CT scan of his abdomen and chest the next morning to check for signs of infection.

VATICAN CITY -- Before going to the hospital for colon surgery July 4, Pope Francis told a crowd in St. Peter's Square that he would be visiting Hungary and Slovakia Sept. 12-15.

VATICAN CITY -- The second morning after undergoing colon surgery, Pope Francis was continuing to recover well and, after a restful night, he had breakfast, read the newspapers and got out of bed to walk, the Vatican press office said July 6.

OTTAWA -- There is no guarantee that a delegation to the Vatican will lead to a papal apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system but the Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations is praying it will.

Canadian delegations of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican Dec. 17-20.

VATICAN CITY -- Sts. Peter and Paul were great not just because of their zeal for the Gospel, but because they allowed Christ to enter their hearts and change their lives, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY -- Climate change, migration and geopolitical hot spots were on the agenda as Pope Francis met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken June 28.

VATICAN CITY -- Even as the formal Catholic-Orthodox dialogue continues to deal with divisive theological issues, members of both churches should work together more closely on issues where they share a common point of view, Pope Francis said.