Pope urges Paraguay to seek peace, equality and justice

On last full day of tour, Francis pleads for rapid, "distinct and clear justice" to be administered in Latin America and beyond

• Jul 11, 2015

Pope Francis visits notorious prison in Bolivia

Before journeying on to Paraguay, Francis urges inmates at overcrowded and violent Palmasola prison not to despair

• Jul 10, 2015

Fierce opposition from religious groups stalls California right-to-die bill

Catholics in the Los Angeles area are opposed to bill that would allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives

• Jul 8, 2015

Pope Francis draws hundreds of thousands in Ecuador

On three-nation South American tour, Latin America's first pope returns to his home soil for a Mass dedicated to the family

• Jul 6, 2015

Pope to shine light on South America's poorest corners

His stance capitalism may give some pause, but to some people awaiting his visit, Pope Francis is already a miracle-maker

• Jul 1, 2015

Catholics urged "not to attend same-sex marriages"

Catholic leaders issue responses to Supreme Court's reversal of bans on same-sex marriages

• Jun 26, 2015

Anti-nuclear activist nun, 84, likely to remain free

Sister Megan Rice and two other Catholic peace activists were convicted in 2013 of sabotage for breaking into and vandalizing the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, bunker that stores much of the nation's bomb-grade uranium

• Jun 22, 2015

Rock star pope

Pope Francis has made waves with his acts of humility, bold statements and strong action on a number of controversial issues, like global warming, homosexuality and abortion

• Jun 18, 2015
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Jeb Bush backs away from criticism of the pope

The Republican presidential candidate is at odds with an upcoming papal statement on climate change

• Jun 17, 2015

Archbishop of St. Paul resigns over church sex scandal

Pope Francis accepts resignations of Archbishop John Nienstedt and his deputy amid charges archdiocese turned "blind eye" to abuse

• Jun 15, 2015

Pope urges Bosnians to put "barbarity" behind them

"Make peace. Work for peace. All together, so that this can be a country of peace," pontiff tells nation still healing from war

• Jun 6, 2015

Minn. church charged over handling of sex abuse claims

Leaders of St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese accused of failing to immediately report allegations of abuse by a priest now in prison

• Jun 5, 2015

Vatican: Irish marriage vote a "defeat for humanity"

Predominantly Catholic nation held a public referendum on same-sex marriage, and the result has left the Catholic Church disappointed

• May 27, 2015

Church protest, 11 years running now, faces reckoning

St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Mass. was closed 3 popes ago, but its parishioners have been stubbornly squatting there

• May 26, 2015

Ireland's gay couples wake up to a shocking new reality

The lopsided victory for voter-approved same-sex marriage in heavily Catholic Ireland has many asking: what the heck just happened?

• May 24, 2015