U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 20 that he would nominate Brian Burch as his next ambassador to the Holy See. Burch is president of the political advocacy group CatholicVote.org.
Pope Francis warned against reducing faith to a "private affair" during a visit to Corsica, a French isle where as many as 90% of residents identify as Catholic and where adult baptisms and confirmations are on the rise.
Pope Francis on Dec. 12 called for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, the alleviation of foreign debt and the creation of a new global fund to eradicate hunger and combat climate change.
The Vatican City State court has returned guilty verdicts against the former director of the Sistine Chapel Choir, its former manager and his wife on charges of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds raised at concerts in Italy and abroad.
Climate change, war, immigration and other global challenges can only be resolved with the input and cooperation of the entire global community, Pope Francis told a group of new ambassadors to the Holy See.
Pope Francis, with bruises visible on his neck and chin, led a Dec. 7 consistory elevating 21 new prelates. He has now named 110 of the 140 cardinals who are eligible to participate in a future papal conclave.
