Mauritius young suffers despite economic growth, says Pope Francis

Philip Pullella|Published

Pope Francis was welcomed by palm frond-waving crowds in Mauritius as he drove past sugarcane fields on his way to the capital.

Pained Pope Francis pays tribute to Notre Dame firefighters

Philip Pullella|Published

Pope Francis thanked rescuers who put their lives at risk to salvage the medieval Catholic cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris from a devastating blaze.

Sex abuse crises plunges Catholic Church into turmoil

Philip Pullella|Published

A Vatican official issued a scathing open letter accusing an archbishop who launched an attack on Pope Francis, of mounting a 'political frame job'.

Archbishop accused of sex abuse cover-up scandal resigns

Philip Pullella|Published

Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson, a senior cleric found guilty of concealing child sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, has resigned.

Catholic priest indicted on child porn charges

Philip Pullella|Published

A Catholic priest who worked as a diplomat at the Vatican's embassy in Washington was indicted on charges of possessing child pornography.

Finland is world's happiest country, resentment in wealthy US grows

Philip Pullella|Published

Finland is the world's happiest country, according to an annual survey issued that put Burundi at the bottom of the happiness index.

Pope urges respect for Jerusalem's 'status quo'

Philip Pullella|Published

Pope Francis called for Jerusalem's 'status quo' to be respected, saying new tension in the Middle East would further inflame world conflicts.

Vatican bans sale of cigarettes

Philip Pullella|Published

Pope Francis has ordered a ban on the sale of cigarettes inside the Vatican from next year because of health concerns, a spokesperson said

Vatican vows to seek truth about diplomat in child porn case

Philip Pullella|Published

The Vatican has pledged to seek the truth about one of its diplomats whom it recalled after he came under suspicion of possessing child pornography.

PICS: Tourists flee after quake kills two on Italian island

Philip Pullella|Published

An earthquake hit the tourist-packed Italian holiday island of Ischia on Monday night, collapsing buildings, killing at least two people and injuring dozens

PICS: Pope denounces 'oppressive regimes' in Easter message

Philip Pullella|Published

Pope Francis said Mass before tens of thousands of people under exceptional security measures in St. Peter's Square.

Vatican condemns encyclical leak

Philip Pullella|Published

The Vatican condemned the leak of Pope Francis's keenly awaited encyclical on the environment, but did not deny the document's authenticity.

Restoration sheds light on Da Vinci

Philip Pullella|Published

If there is any mind an art restorer would die to get into, it would be that of Leonardo da Vinci.

‘This is a fairy tale, a legend’

Philip Pullella|Published

The Catacombs of Priscilla contain frescoes of women that have provoked academic debate for many years.

Cardinal speaks on Berlusconi sex scandal

Philip Pullella|Published

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has come under fire from a Vatican heavyweight amid a sex scandal shaking his government.

Vatican broadens case for condoms

Philip Pullella|Published

The Vatican’s clarification of the pope’s condom comments has been hailed as “groundbreaking” by some theologians.

Pope names inspectors for church abuse probe

Philip Pullella|Published

The Vatican has named two cardinals and three archbishops from England, the United States and Canada to lead its official inquiry into sexual abuse of children by ...