Pope Francis

Pope Francis called on Christians to unite in prayer for the victims of two mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, that left 50 people dead and dozens wounded in one of the worst mass shootings in the country's history.

VATICAN CITY – Declaring that the Catholic Church is unafraid of history, Pope Francis announced that documents in the Vatican Secret Archives relating to the wartime pontificate of Pope Pius XII will be open to scholars in 2020.

VATICAN CITY – Answering the Lord's call demands the courage to take a risk, but it is an invitation to become part of an important mission, Pope Francis said in his message for the 2019 World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

VATICAN CITY – Lent is a time to ask for God's grace to chip away at hypocrisy, which is seen in the natural human attempt to appear "worthier than we are," Pope Francis said.