Pope Francis

Pope: Bishops who covered up for abuse guilty of wrongdoing

In a wide-ranging press conference en route to Rome from his first-ever visit to the United States, Francis also declared conscience objection a "human right," explained his admiration for American nuns and discussed his own star-power, which was fully on display during his six-day, three-city tour.

He also invented a new Italian word to describe the exuberant reception he received in New York City: "stralimitata" — roughly, "beyond all limits."

Empty tables, deserted streets for pope's Philadelphia visit

Even as hundreds of thousands of people thronged the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Sunday for Mass with Pope Francis, his weekend visit to Philadelphia apparently failed to deliver the economic boon predicted by organizers.

Some businesses closed early, some downtown hotel rooms went unfilled and normally bustling city streets were deserted over the weekend as residents either stayed home or left town, and pilgrims kept their wallets in their pockets.

Pope Francis wraps up joyful US visit with big open-air Mass

The Pope closed out his six-day tour with a message of hope for families, consolation for victims of child sexual abuse and a warning to America's bishops.

Organizers had predicted a crowd of 1 million for Francis' open-air Mass, and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway overflowed with the jubilant. They endured hours-long lines and airport-style security checks to see history's first pope from the Americas celebrate the faith in the birthplace of the United States.

Pope meets with sex-abuse victims, promises accountability

The message was a powerful warning to American bishops accused of covering up for pedophile priests instead of reporting them to police.

The pontiff disclosed the gesture of reconciliation at the start of a meeting with American bishops gathered in Philadelphia for a big rally on Catholic families.

After success with Iran, pope, next stop for Obama is UN

And he's carrying some heavy burdens.

There's the threat from Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, and the Syrian civil war and refugee crisis. Also, Russia's moves in Ukraine and, more recently, in Syria.

On Monday evening, Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin (POO'-tihn) meet on the sidelines of the U.N. gathering. It will be their first face-to-face encounter in nearly a year.

Pope Francis heads to Philadelphia for Catholic family event

This journey is expected to be  most centered on ordinary Catholics: a Vatican-organized rally for the family that will culminate in an outdoor Mass for a million people.

Francis will spend the last two of his six days in the U.S. in Philadelphia as the star attraction at the World Meeting of Families, a conference for more than 18,000 people from around the world that has been underway as the pope traveled to Washington and New York.

Pope decries environmental damage, then visits ground zero

The Pope then paid tribute to the victims of 9/11 with a prayer service at ground zero.

Francis' agenda for his first full day in New York was packed with contrasts befitting a head of state dubbed the "slum pope."

Pope brings ecology, anti-poverty message to UN

     

Francis' agenda reflected both his global stature and his of-the-people approach, taking him from the solemnity of ground zero to the struggles of East Harlem.

His visit was scheduled to include events as large as a processional drive through Central Park, as personal as meetings with schoolchildren and immigrants, and as inspiring for the faithful as Mass for thousands at Madison Square Garden.

21-gun salute at White House for Chinese leader

The ceremony for the Chinese leader looks similar to the one the White House held Wednesday for Pope Francis, but with a few notable exceptions.

Pope wants technology to make us better humans

When the pontiff called on Congress to take "courageous action" on climate change, he also talked about the role he sees for technology in the world, quoting a papal encyclical published earlier this year.

“We have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology,” Francis said, “to devise intelligent ways of developing and limiting our power, and to put technology at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral."