Junno Arocho Esteves

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who was expected to meet Pope Francis at the Congress of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, will not attend the interreligious gathering in September, a senior Russian Orthodox bishop said.

Pope Francis called on the international community to help the people of Somalia who are at risk of famine due to severe drought.

At a pre-trial hearing in Hong Kong, a judge set a five-day trial for Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and four other defendants who face charges of failing to properly register a now-defunct fund to help anti-government protesters.

Christians must never give in to fear when evangelizing, especially when reaching out to those in need in the digital space, Pope Francis said.

The unity of the Catholic Church's bishops is fundamental in correcting past wrongs and in confronting challenges today, Pope Francis said.

Unbridled greed for wealth and possessions is a sickness that is the driving force behind wars and conflicts in the world, Pope Francis said.

As the church prepares to commemorate the World Day of Migrants and Refugees in September, Pope Francis launched a video campaign meant to highlight the spiritual and cultural contributions that migrants bring to people's lives.

For Andrii Yurash, Ukraine's ambassador to the Holy See, Francis' consistent reminder of "the barbarism of war" is needed because "four months of war has made a lot of people around the world accustomed to this situation."

The Vatican released a new policy consolidating the investment portfolios of all offices and keeping all current and future investments in line with the social doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Religious orders must never tolerate the abuse of children or vulnerable persons, and they must end the practice of moving alleged abusers to other countries, Pope Francis said.

The care of the environment and the fight against climate change is not a lofty goal for humanity but a moral imperative, Pope Francis said during a July 13–14 conference, titled "Resilience of People and Ecosystems under Climate Stress," sponsored by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Pope Francis said he plans to meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in September at an interreligious meeting in Kazakhstan. The pope confirmed the meeting in an interview that aired in the United States July 11 on Univision, the Spanish-language network.

President Biden should consult with his bishop or parish priest about his stance on abortion, Pope Francis said during an interview on Univision, adding that the primary concern of bishops should be pastoral care.

Pope Francis called on authorities in Sri Lanka to listen to the cries of their people after months of civil unrest culminated with protesters storming the residences of the country's president and prime minister.

Pope Francis will make back-to-back pastoral visits to two Italian cities at the end of September: Assisi for an Economy of Francesco event and Matera for the Italian National Eucharistic Congress.

While many people were disappointed that Pope Francis was unable to make his long-awaited visit to Congo and South Sudan, Cardinal Pietro Parolin assured the people that the pope had not given up on visiting them.

Meeting with a delegation from the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople June 30, the pope said that as war continues to rage in Ukraine, it is a time not for "talking and discussing, but for weeping, for helping others and for experiencing conversion ourselves."

Like Sts. Peter and Paul, the church must go out to evangelize and not be bound by the chains of routine and spiritual mediocrity that stifles the Gospel message, Pope Francis said.

The Vatican's financial watchdog agency said that more financial transactions flagged as suspicious in 2021 than in the previous year was an indication that stringent policies aimed at transparency were working.

Fra' Marco Luzzago, who led the Knights of Malta since late 2020, died at the age of 71, the order announced.