Pope Francis

A Vatican declaration allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples sent shock waves around the world and deepened an already strong divide between conservatives and progressives in the church.

In his weekly Sunday prayer service, (Dec. 17), Pope Francis condemned Israeli sniper attacks on a Christian church in Gaza on Saturday that killed two women and wounded many others.

Vatican judges sentenced Cardinal Angelo Becciu to five years and six months in prison for the embezzlement of Vatican funds.

With Pope Francis’ encouragement, the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a document on Monday (Dec. 18) allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples.

Speaking to members of the International Theological Commission at the Vatican on Thursday (Nov. 30), Pope Francis asked theologians to “demasculinize” the church in an unscripted remark.

As Pope Francis grapples with defiant bishops, a high-ranking Vatican official who oversees church law said any failure to act in communion with the church and the pope can be cause for dismissal.

On Saturday, the Vatican had announced that the pope was sick with the flu.

A small group of Catholic leaders, including three bishops and a nun, met with senior White House officials Friday morning to discuss climate change.