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Go to confession, let yourself be consoled, pope says

VATICAN CITY — Anyone who wants to experience the consolation and tenderness of God simply needs to go to confession, Pope Francis said at his morning Mass.
Pope names Cardinal Tagle to lead evangelization congregation

VATICAN CITY — In a move that may signal Pope Francis' plan for the reform of the Roman Curia is close to completion, the pope has named Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Pope: Mary's Immaculate Conception the start of the fulfillment of God's plan

VATICAN CITY — With Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception, God was, even before Mary’s birth, putting into motion his plan of salvation for the world, Pope Francis said Dec. 8.
Pope Francis tells Jesuits he is shocked by anti-immigration narratives in Europe

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis decried the mistreatment of migrants and said that he is shocked by anti-immigration narratives within Europe during a conversation with Jesuits in Thailand published Dec. 5.
Pope Francis: Disabled people are not in humanity's minor 'leagues'

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said Tuesday that disabled people make important contributions to humanity and called discrimination against them a sin. The pope added that disabled people are not members of humanity's minor “leagues.”
Pope returns part of relic of Jesus' crib to Holy Land

VATICAN CITY — As Advent approached, Pope Francis gave a small fragment of Jesus' crib back to Catholics in the Holy Land.
Pope asks Catholics to set up, be enchanted by a Nativity scene

VATICAN CITY — A Nativity scene is a simple reminder of something astonishing: God became human to reveal the greatness of his love "by smiling and opening his arms to all," Pope Francis said in a letter on the meaning and importance of setting up Christmas cribs.
Pope Francis prays for Iraqi people after 45 killed in protests

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said Sunday that he was grieved to hear of the deadly violence against protesters in Iraq and expressed his closeness to the entire Iraqi people.
Dispute ideas, pope tells theologians, but don't confuse the faithful

VATICAN CITY — Theologians must explore and debate disputed questions, at times even taking "risks" with what they propose, but those discussions should take place within the academy so as not to confuse the faithful, Pope Francis said.
WATCH: Pope prays for Albania after earthquake leaves dozens dead

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis led prayers for the people of Albania after the country was struck by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake.
Financial scandal shows Vatican reforms are working, pope tells media

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM JAPAN — Questions about Vatican finances, especially those involving a real estate deal in London, are serious, but they also are a sign that reforms begun by Pope Benedict XVI are working, Pope Francis said.
WATCH: Powerful nations protect all life, pope says in Japan

TOKYO — Beauty, creation and each human life are gifts of God to be treasured and shared, not enslaved to current societal ideas of what is valuable, perfect or productive, Pope Francis said at a Mass in the famous Tokyo Dome.
Lack of prayer creates spiritual ‘zombies,’ pope tells Japanese youth

TOKYO — If people neglect prayer and the interior life, they are at risk of becoming spiritual zombies, who seem fine on the outside, but on the inside are lonely and lacking life, Pope Francis said Monday.
Pope Francis honors heroism of Japanese martyrs of Nagasaki

NAGASAKI, Japan — Pope Francis Sunday honored the many martyrs who died in Japan during two centuries of persecution, encouraging Catholics in the country to use their heroic witness as inspiration to spread the Gospel.
A world without nuclear weapons is possible, pope says in Japan

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Saying it is "perverse" to think the threat of nuclear weapons makes the world safer, Pope Francis urged a renewed commitment to disarmament and to the international treaties designed to limit or eliminate nuclear weapons.
Pope Francis asks priests, religious in Thailand to inculturate the Gospel

BANGKOK, Thailand — In a meeting with priests and religious in Thailand Friday, Pope Francis urged an inculturation of the Gospel which allows it to have a “Thai face and flesh,” and not be seen as a religion only for foreigners.
Be brave enough to dialogue, pope tells Thai religious leaders

BANGKOK — Meeting Thai religious leaders and then celebrating Mass with Catholic young adults, Pope Francis encouraged them to strengthen a culture that treasures the past, holds fast to faith, is unafraid of differences and always seeks a way to promote dialogue and cooperation.
Pope: Having a friend who is poor will help you get to heaven

VATICAN CITY — The poor are the church's treasure because they give every Christian a chance to "speak the same language as Jesus, that of love," Pope Francis said, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor.
Pope: Catechism will be updated to include ecological sins

VATICAN CITY — Following through on a proposal made at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon, Pope Francis said there are plans to include a definition of ecological sins in the church's official teaching.
Celebrating Mass in catacombs, pope recalls all persecuted Christians

ROME — In what he said was his first visit to the catacombs, Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the feast of All Souls with special words of remembrance for Catholics who still today must worship in secret.
Death comes to those who forget it, pope says

VATICAN CITY — Death is not a topic that should be avoided but a reminder that cures men and women from any illusion of being all-powerful, Pope Francis said.
Jewish, Christian, Muslim leaders sign declaration against euthanasia

VATICAN CITY — Representatives from the Catholic and Orthodox churches and the Muslim and Jewish faiths signed a joint declaration at the Vatican reaffirming each religion's clear opposition to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.
WATCH: Church faces conflicts with help of Holy Spirit, pope says at audience

VATICAN CITY — The church resolves conflicts and discerns God's will by patiently listening, discussing and deciding under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis said.
Pope: Make disciples for Christ, not for one's group

VATICAN CITY — Every Christian is called to be a missionary, sharing the good news of salvation in Christ and making disciples for him, not for oneself or one's clique of like-minded believers, Pope Francis said.
Synod groups propose Amazonian rite, new ministries for women

VATICAN CITY — Creating an Amazonian-rite liturgy and new ministries for laypeople, including the ordination of women deacons, are some of the recurring proposals made by small groups at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon.
Vatican security chief resigns following leak of internal document

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Domenico Giani, head of the Vatican police, nearly two weeks after an internal security notice was leaked to the Italian press.
WATCH: Kindly lights in gloomy world: Pope declares five new saints

VATICAN CITY — Saints are people who recognized their need for God's help, who took risks to discover God's will and to help others and who nurtured a habit of thanksgiving, Pope Francis said.
Bishop highlights need for lay ministries in Amazon

VATICAN CITY — Lay men and women involved in ministry have been fundamental in spreading the Gospel and furthering the Catholic Church's mission in the Amazon, a Brazilian bishop said.
Banners unfurled as faithful share stories of saints

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican hung banners of the Catholic Church's newly canonized saints four days before the Mass that would officially recognize that they are in heaven with God.
Cardinal Sarah: To oppose the pope is to be outside the church

VATICAN CITY — Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said the people who portray him as an opponent of Pope Francis are being used by the devil to help divide the church.
WATCH: At synod Mass, pope urges courage

VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church's mission in the world is to spread the fire of God's love and must not be limited to the "'ordinary maintenance' of those who already know the Gospel," Pope Francis said.