Pontiff encourages involvement of laity in institution during Philadelphia visit

Pontiff denounces persecution of minorities in Middle East and misuse of Earth’s resources

This 10th foreign trip of Pope Francis could turn out to be his most important

Encyclical said to address human causes of climate change and population issues

Move will see debated principle of ‘Bishop accountability’ written into canon law

Peter Saunders criticised Cardinal Pell’s handling of paedophile priest case

Step to deal with bishops seen as significant achievement by new Commission

Secretary of State called result of the Irish referendum a ‘disaster for humanity’

First legal document negotiated between Holy See and state means official recognition

Raul Castro thanks pontiff for role in detente between his country and the United States

Cuban president to visit Vatican for private audience next Sunday

Island has been a focal point for Vatican diplomacy despite restrictions on church

Article criticises cardinal in charge of Vatican finances ‘clean-up’

Pope Francis wrote about development of Argentina’s drug trade in email

‘Correct without humiliating’ is the right way

Pope Francis pays surprise visit to Buddhist temple

Vatican does not intend to alter security arrangements for Papal visit to south east Asia

Those who ran bank between 1989 and 2009 under investigation in relation to deals

Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew pray together in Istanbul

Holy See’s ‘promoter of justice’ Fr Robert J Geisinger reportedly allowed abuser to remain in ministry

Excluding women ‘unacceptable’ says priest due to report to pontifical council

Language toned down to ‘providing for’ homosexuals in new version of controversial ‘relatio’

Emphasis on Church’s dogmatic teaching means change in rules inconceivable

Defrocked Archbishop Josef Wesolowski may also face charges in Poland, Dominican Republic

Vatican plays down concerns of threat from fundamentalists

Renewed reports of pope being targeted

New Primate is clearly seen as an expression of the previous ‘regime’, writes Paddy Agnew

Infant great-nephews of pontiff die in Argentina with their mother

Francis seeking to improve relations with China during visit to region

Remarks attributed to Pope Francis inaccurate, says Vatican spokesman

‘I ask for the grace to weep,’ he tells Irish, British and German abuse survivors

Pope Francis has dinner with six from Ireland, Britain and Germany

Pontiff to visit Molise region after week dominated by meetings with cardinals

Two Italian priests and Canadian nun kidnapped in April released

Vatican braces itself for further criticism of Catholic Church’s handling of clerical sex abuse

Marie Collins speaks in Rome after first meetings of new body

With one move, Pope addressed issues of women, laity and abuse

Group has been formed to help Vatican tackle problem of clerical paedophilia

Officials may be asked about allegations of abuse made against former nuncio

Pope selected ahead of Edward Snowden and gay-rights activist Edith Windsor