Pope News

Ex-pope's shadow Vatican role in the spotlight

By AFP

Vatican City - Ex-pope Benedict XVI seems to have broken his silence recently over key Catholic issues and his comments have raised serious questions within the Church about the extent to which there are, in fact, two "men in white" at the VaticanIn 2013, Benedict be...

Ex-pope Benedict seeks to end storm over controversial book

By AFP

Vatican City - Retired former pope Benedict XVI sought to calm a dispute within the Vatican on Tuesday, claiming his name was erroneously attributed as co-author to a new book with a conservative cardinal.

Pope Francis repeats support for celibacy after Benedict outburst

By AFP

Rome - Pope Francis on Monday repeated his support for celibacy after his predecessor pope Benedict XVI urged him not to open the Catholic priesthood up to married men, in a plea that stunned Vatican experts.

Ex-pope Benedict rejects opening up priesthood to married men

By AFP

Rome - Former pope Benedict XVI has publicly urged his successor Pope Francis not to open the Catholic priesthood up to married men, in a plea that Sunday stunned Vatican experts.

Pope slams leaders on 'weak' response to climate change

By AFP

Vatican City - Pope Francis accused world leaders on Thursday of failing to listen to the concerns of youngsters pushing for global action against climate change.

Pope's bodyguards criticised over slapping incident

By AFP

Vatican City - Pope Francis's attempt to wrest himself from the grasp of an ardent follower this week have left some asking -- where was the pontiff's security detail?

Pope sorry for slapping devotee

By AFP

Vatican City - Pope Francis apologised Wednesday for slapping a woman who had grabbed him as he greeted a crowd of devotees, shortly before he delivered a speech denouncing "every form of violence against women.

Pope says sorry for slapping devotee

By AFP

Vatican City - Pope Francis apologised Wednesday for his widely-viewed slap of a woman who had grabbed his hand as he greeted Catholic faithful on New Year's Eve.

Defrocked US cardinal gave money to top clerics: report

By AFP

Washington - A US cardinal gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to powerful Catholic clerics including two popes while facing accusations of sexual harassment, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Pope prays for peace in global flashpoints

By AFP

Vatican City - Pope Francis appealed for peace in many of the world's hotspots, singling out the crises in the Middle East, Venezuela and Lebanon as well as armed conflicts ravaging many African countries.

Empty Libyan migrant camps, pope urges

By AFP

Vatican City - The pope called for migrant detention centres in Libya to be cleared on Thursday, saying it was a "sin" to remain indifferent to the abuses suffered by refugees.

Pope lifts 'pontifical secret' for sex abuse cases

By AFP

Vatican City - Priests can no longer cite papal secrecy in abuse cases, the Vatican said Tuesday, the latest move by Pope Francis to combat silence surrounding paedophilia in the Roman Catholic church.

Pope meets with embattled Malta PM despite plea to cancel

By AFP

Vatican City - Pope Francis held a private audience with outgoing Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Saturday, despite a plea to cancel the meeting over a scandal-hit investigation into the murder of a journalist.

Pope to list nuclear weapons as immoral in Catholic manual

By AFP

Pope Francis announced on Tuesday he would declare the use and possession of nuclear weapons "immoral" in the Catholic Church's official manual, after visiting the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where atomic bombs were dropped during World W...

Zombies, brollies and happis: Key moments of pope's Japan trip

By AFP

Apo - Pope Francis has wanted to visit Japan since he was a young missionary and his trip was filled with emotion and memorials -- but also some lighthearted moments.

Pope leaves Japan after nuclear-dominated trip

By AFP

Apo - Pope Francis left Japan Tuesday, bringing to an end a long-desired visit marked by messages on atomic power and weapons as he comforted survivors of nuclear bombings and accidents.

'Thankful for life': Japan disaster survivors meet pope

By AFP

Apo - Survivors of Japan's so-called "triple disaster", the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown, told Pope Francis on Monday they were "thankful for being given life" and urged solidarity with victims.

'A friendly hand': pope urges more help for Fukushima victims

By AFP

Apo - Pope Francis on Monday urged renewed help for victims of Japan's 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima disaster, warning "nobody can start over alone" as he noted "concern" over nuclear power.

Hiroshima survivors tell pope of attack 'hell'

By AFP

Yokogawa - Survivors of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima told Pope Francis on Sunday of the "scene of hell" after the bombing, as the pontiff hit out against the use of the weapons.

In Hiroshima, pope assails 'crime' of nuclear weapons

By AFP

Nagasaki - Pope Francis Sunday described the use of nuclear bombs as "a crime", as he took his appeal for an end to atomic weapons to Hiroshima in an emotional meeting with survivors.

Ageing Japan bomb survivors back pope's anti-nukes call

By AFP

Nagasaki - Kenji Hayashida thought about committing suicide in the years after an atomic bomb was dropped on his hometown of Nagasaki.On Sunday he will hear Pope Francis call there for a world without nuclear weapons, a message 81-year-old supports passionately.

Pope heads to Nagasaki, Hiroshima to preach anti-nuclear gospel

By AFP

Apo - Pope Francis visits Nagasaki and Hiroshima on Sunday to preach the dangers of nuclear weapons against the backdrop of two cities uniquely associated with the devastation of the atomic bomb.

Pope Francis kicks off Japan trip with call for nuclear disarmament

By AFP

Apo - Pope Francis on Saturday issued a call for nuclear disarmament as he arrived on a long-awaited trip to Japan, which will take in visits to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, targets of the "catastrophic" atomic bomb.

Pope Francis kicks off Japan trip with call for nuclear disarmament

By AFP

Pope Francis to pay tribute to Japan's 'Hidden Christians'

By AFP

Apo - When Pope Francis visits the Japanese city of Nagasaki, he will pay tribute to a sometimes forgotten population of so-called "hidden Christians" who clung to their faith for centuries despite brutal persecution.

Pope cautions Thai youth against tech pitfalls

By AFP

Bangkok - Pope Francis warned against the potential pitfalls of technology and the competition for young people's "attention" on Friday, dedicating the final full day of his Bangkok trip to engaging the next generation of Catholics.

Calls to abolish death penalty in Japan as Francis visit looms

By AFP

Apo - On the eve of a visit by Pope Francis to Japan, activists called Friday on the government to declare a moratorium on executions as part of an Olympic truce to mark Tokyo 2020.

Calls to abolish death penalty in Japan as Francis visit looms

By AFP

Apo - On the eve of a visit by Pope Francis to Japan, activists called Friday on the government to declare a moratorium on executions as part of an Olympic truce to mark Tokyo 2020.

Pope to address Thai youth on final full day of Bangkok visit

By AFP

Bangkok - Pope Francis will meet Friday with teachers and students in Thailand's "small but vibrant" Catholic community on his final full day of a whirlwind Bangkok trip, closing the visit with a mass for the youth.

'Peace prayer': Muslim choir from restive Thai south to sing for pope

By AFP

Bangkok - Gripped by nervous excitement, young Muslim singers from Thailand's conflict-plagued south gather for choir practice ahead of a performance of a lifetime -- for Pope Francis himself, who is in Bangkok as part of his whirlwind Asia tour.