Vatican official: With migration, cooperation is better than isolationism

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican praised the adoption by more than 160 nations of a key agreement on global migration, saying today's migration challenges are better tackled together than with "isolationist" stances.
Marking feast day, pope asks Mary's care of families seeking refuge

ROME — In the heart of Rome, near streets of fancy shops already blinged out for Christmas shopping, Pope Francis prayed for Romans struggling to survive and for families in the city and around the world who face the same lack of welcome that Mary and Joseph experienced.
WATCH: Christmas spirit in the air as Vatican unveils Nativity scene, tree

VATICAN CITY — The annual unveiling of the Vatican's Christmas tree and Nativity scene brought some much-needed warmth to people's hearts as winter approached.
Difficult 2018: For pope, it was year to come to terms with abuse crisis

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis marked the fifth anniversary of his election in March in the midst of a firestorm over his handling of clerical sexual abuse and bishops' accountability in Chile.
Cardinal: Climate needs present 'challenge of civilization'

The Vatican challenged countries gathered for the 24th U.N. Climate Change Conference to focus on the needs of the present and the future as it worked to take swift action.
Cardinal: No one has right to demand a pope's resignation

VATICAN CITY — People can disagree about problems and the best ways to resolve them, but no one should launch a formal accusation against a pope much less ask for his resignation, German Cardinal Gerhard Muller said.
WATCH: Helping others can change the world, pope tells young people

VATICAN CITY — In a video message to young men and women around the world, Pope Francis called on them to provoke an uprising of change by serving others.
Helping the poor is not a papal fad, but a duty, pope says

VATICAN CITY — As the rich get richer, the increasing misery and cries of the poor are ignored every day, Pope Francis said.
Pope makes surprise visit to mobile clinic in St. Peter's Square

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis made a surprise visit to a mobile health care facility set up in St. Peter's Square to serve the city's homeless and poor.
Pope meets Israeli president at the Vatican

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis welcomed Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to the Vatican Nov. 15 for a private discussion that included the importance of building greater trust between Israelis and Palestinians.
Milan court rules against former nuncio in inheritance lawsuit

ROME — A civil court in Milan ordered Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a longtime diplomat and former Vatican nuncio to the United States, to return close to 2 million euro plus interest and legal fees to his brother Father Lorenzo Vigano.
Modern martyrs show unity in Christ, pope and catholicos say

VATICAN CITY — Appealing to the international community to help bring peace to Syria and Iraq, Pope Francis and Catholicos Gewargis III, patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, also paid homage to the lands' persecuted Christians, who demonstrate that faith in Christ is a bond that is stronger than any denominational difference.
Anti-Semitism must be banned from society, pope says

VATICAN CITY — Sharing the same roots as their Jewish brothers and sisters, Christians cannot be anti-Semitic and must work to ensure anti-Semitism is banned from society, Pope Francis said.
'Sand Nativity' scene to display in St. Peter's Square

Although sand castles and sculptures usually conjure up images of hot summers on the beach, the Vatican will unveil a massive Nativity scene made entirely of sand during the cold Roman winter.
New coordinating body for Catholic charismatic activities announced

VATICAN CITY — The two international bodies that had been supporting and coordinating the international activities of charismatic Catholics will become one new organization.
Pope apologizes to young people who have felt ignored by the church

VATICAN CITY — Speaking on behalf of all adult Catholics, Pope Francis formally closed the Synod of Bishops by asking young people for forgiveness.
Pope calls for new alliance between young, old to change the world

VATICAN CITY — With the launch of a new book, Pope Francis is calling for a new alliance -- between young and old -- to change the world.
Saints risk all for love of Jesus, pope says at canonization Mass

VATICAN CITY — Carrying Pope Paul VI's pastoral staff and wearing the blood-stained belt of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, Pope Francis formally recognized them, and five others, as saints of the Catholic Church.
Honesty, gratitude to God are basis of credibility, cardinal tells synod

VATICAN CITY — Unless they recognize themselves as sinners rescued by Jesus, adults cannot be effective in helping young people find the path to faith and doing God's will, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago told the Synod of Bishops.
New saints shared a close friendship, professor says

ROME — Blesseds Paul VI and Oscar Romero crossed paths on their road to sainthood and formed a personal friendship that strengthened each other's resolve in the face of growing challenges, an Italian professor said.
Christians must live the beatitudes, not just preach them, pope says

VATICAN CITY — With songs, poetry and dance -- including hip-hop -- young people shared with Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops some of their life stories, hopes, dreams and, especially, questions.
Vatican reviewing McCarrick case, vows to pursue truth no matter what

VATICAN CITY — Promising a thorough review of how the Vatican handled allegations of sexual misconduct by former Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the Vatican acknowledged that what happened may fall short of the procedures that are in place today.
At synod, Sydney archbishop apologizes to young people for church failures

VATICAN CITY — Australian Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney used his speech at the Synod of Bishops to formally apologize to young people for all the ways the Catholic Church and its members have harmed them or let them down.
Pope's favorability numbers down, and worse for handling of abuse

WASHINGTON — With Pope Francis midway into the sixth year of his pontificate, the percentage of U.S. Catholics who view him favorably, while still strong, is noticeably down.
Pope: Pray to protect church from devil, step up fight against abuse

VATICAN CITY — Signaling his belief that the Catholic Church is facing a serious crisis, Pope Francis asked every Catholic in the world to pray for the protection of the church from attacks by the devil, but also that the church would be more aware of its sins and stronger in its efforts to combat abuse.
Former nuncio claims Vatican official has evidence of cover-up

VATICAN CITY — Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former nuncio to the United States who accused Pope Francis and church officials of failing to act on accusations of sexual abuse, urged a top Vatican official to release documents that would prove his allegations.
WATCH: Scandals create outrage, but there is time for conversion, pope says

TALLINN, Estonia — In what is probably the least religious country in Europe, Pope Francis said he is surprised by how many people hold firm to their faith despite all the sexual abuse and financial scandals in the Catholic Church.
WATCH: Be grateful to parents, never insult them, pope says

VATICAN CITY — Honoring mothers and fathers means being grateful for the gift of life and Christians should never insult anyone's parents, Pope Francis said.
Faith in Christ isn't professed in words but in deeds, pope says

VATICAN CITY — True followers of Jesus profess their faith not through pre-packaged platitudes but rather through concrete actions of love for their neighbors, Pope Francis said.
Pope, in Sicily, honors priest martyred by Mafia

PALERMO, Sicily — Honoring a priest shot at point-blank range by the Mafia, Pope Francis insisted that true happiness and a real change in Sicilian society will come only when people love and care for one another rather than trying to grab as much money and power as they can.
WATCH: U.S. bishops tell pope abuse scandal 'lacerated' the church

VATICAN CITY — The leaders of the U.S. bishops' conference said they shared with Pope Francis how the church in the United States has been "lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse."
Pope to convene world meeting on abuse prevention with bishops' leaders

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is calling the presidents of every Catholic bishops' conference in the world to Rome Feb. 21-24 to discuss the prevention of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.
Build church unity, shun clericalism, pope tells new bishops

VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church needs bishops who promote unity, "not soloists singing their own tune or captains fighting personal battles," Pope Francis told new bishops from the church's mission territories.
Prelates in Austria, Germany offer support to Pope Francis

Prelates in Germany and Austria have united to support Pope Francis in response to a former papal nuncio's demand for his resignation.
Letter confirms Vatican officials knew of McCarrick allegations in 2000

VATICAN CITY — A to