Pope Francis

Brett Griffin Young with his partner and three children.

Surrogacy advocates fear pope’s position will create stigma

Commercial surrogacy is banned in many European countries. In the US, the laws vary from state to state. The pope wants to see the practice outlawed worldwide.

Surrogacy advocates fear pope’s position will create stigma
Relatives attend the funeral of Palestinians who were killed in Israeli airstrikes that hit a church, in Gaza City, Oct. 20, 2023.

Christians in Gaza fear for their tiny community amid strikes on churches

Christians in Gaza fear for their tiny community amid strikes on churches
During a recent morning mass, Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church, in Lviv, Ukraine, is packed.

Ukrainian Greek Catholics lament lack of support by Vatican amid war with Russia

Ukrainian Greek Catholics lament lack of support by Vatican amid war with Russia
Pope Francis dons a headdress during a visit with Indigenous peoples at Maskwaci, the former Ermineskin Residential School, in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada

Pope Francis apologizes to Canada's Indigenous communities. But some say it doesn't go far enough.

Pope Francis apologizes to Canada's Indigenous communities. But some say it doesn't go far enough.
Pope Francis meets the Canadian Indigenous people as he arrives at Edmonton's International airport, Canada

Pope set for historic apology for school abuses in Canada

Pope set for historic apology for school abuses in Canada
Eneas Espinoza, who says he was sexually abused multiple times when he was a child, by several catholic priests in Chile

A growing number of clerical sexual abuse survivors are coming forward in Latin America

Latin America may become the next region to expose childhood clerical sexual abuse. Some victims have spent decades without coming forward because of the importance given to clergy in the community. But a growing number of people are creating support networks for survivors.

A growing number of clerical sexual abuse survivors are coming forward in Latin America
Two men are shown standing across from each other with one man handing a large stack of documents over to the other.

Report reveals more than 200,000 children abused by clergy in France

Top of The World: A new probe has revealed that Roman Catholic clergy in France had sexually abused more than 200,000 children since 1950. And, Facebook and its associated apps, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, went down for about six hours on Monday around the world. Also, Russia has reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths and infections for the fifth time in a week.

Report reveals more than 200,000 children abused by clergy in France
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is shown on a TV hanging on the wall in the distance with several people wearing face masks stand in the nearground.

Blinken pushes back against lawmakers' criticism of Afghanistan withdrawal.

Top of The World: The US’ top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, defended the country’s withdrawal from Afghanistan before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And, Pope Francis has begun a four-day visit to Slovakia after a seven-hour stop in Hungary. Also, nearly 45% of young people interviewed in a global survey say they feel anxiety or distress about climate change

Blinken pushes back against lawmakers' criticism of Afghanistan withdrawal.
A large gavel made of metal is shown in the near ground hammering a sign that reads "Act for Justice" with a bombed out grain silo in the distance.

Mired in crises, Lebanon marks 1 year since horrific blast

Lebanon on Wednesday marked one year since the horrific explosion at the port of Beirut that killed more than 200 people and injured thousands.

Mired in crises, Lebanon marks 1 year since horrific blast
Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who has white hair and beard, is shown in a profile view wearing glasses and sitting.

Influential German archbishop offers to resign over church abuse

Top of The World: Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the archbishop of Munich and Freising and confidante of Pope Francis, offered to resign on Friday over the church abuse scandal. And, US President Joe Biden has expanded a blacklist of Chinese companies started by the Trump administration. Also, Facebook is reportedly planning to end a policy that exempted politicians from certain moderation rules.

Influential German archbishop offers to resign over church abuse
Mossbrae Falls in the Shasta Cascade area in Dunsmuir, California. In many spiritual traditions, like the Lakota in the US, water represents “the living relationship between you and I and all things."

Spiritual leaders seek to spur an 'ecological conversion'

From Native American traditions to Eastern thought to mainstream Catholicism, spiritual teachings call on humanity to live in harmony with nature.

Spiritual leaders seek to spur an 'ecological conversion'
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone celebrates Easter Mass, which was live-streamed, at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, April 12, 2020.

What the debate over Biden receiving Communion may mean for the world

Most US Catholics believe President Biden should receive Communion, despite his stance on abortion. The push by conservative US bishops to deny him the Eucharist may have more of an impact in other countries.

What the debate over Biden receiving Communion may mean for the world
People are shown holding pipes letting off green smoke with the Argentine capital dome in the distance.

Argentina's lower house approves bill legalizing abortion

Lawmakers in Argentina's lower house on Friday passed a bill that would legalize elective abortions to the 14th week of pregnancy, a proposal from President Alberto Fernández in response to long-sought demands from women's rights activists in the homeland of Pope Francis.

Argentina's lower house approves bill legalizing abortion
US President Donald Trump is shown through the glass of black SUV giving the thumbs up sign with both of his hands while wearing a face mask.

Confusion over Trump's health raises concerns about national security; Nagorno-Karabakh violence continues; Pope Francis says market capitalism has failed

President Donald Trump on Monday began his fourth day at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he is being treated for COVID-19. And, missile strikes and violent fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh are continuing in the mountainous Caucasus region. Also, Pope Francis said on Sunday in a new document titled “Fratelli Tutti,” that the coronavirus pandemic has shown that market capitalism has failed

Confusion over Trump's health raises concerns about national security; Nagorno-Karabakh violence continues; Pope Francis says market capitalism has failed
A crowd of people with the camera focused on a woman in a face mask

COVID-19 deaths rise in Brazil; Iceland quashes virus; World leaders respond to systemic racism

Brazil recorded yet another day of record-high deaths due to the novel coronavirus, as leadership continues to shrug off the crisis. In Mexico, tens of thousands of people are returning to work in the auto factories along the US-Mexico border. World leaders, including the pope, have called out systemic racism in response to George Floyd's killing.

COVID-19 deaths rise in Brazil; Iceland quashes virus; World leaders respond to systemic racism