Vatican

Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna, a papal ally and an influential prelate at the Vatican, said in an interview published Sunday (Jan. 7) that the Catholic Church should reconsider its ban on married priests.

Francis has continued to push for changes in the church, braving daunting opposition and several medical scares.

When Cardinal Angelo Becciu, once a top-ranking Catholic prelate, was sentenced for embezzlement of church funds, it was a clear victory for Pope Francis’ mission to clamp down on corruption in the Vatican.

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 an unprecedented opening by the Catholic Church toward welcoming LGBTQ people, the Vatican's Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith approved the blessing of same-sex couples on Monday (Dec. 18).

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.