Junno Arocho Esteves

The Francis Chronicles: Faith isn't something learned just by studying the catechism but rather is a gift passed on to children by the example of their parents, Pope Francis said.

The Francis Chronicles: Although at times it seems that "so many of our prayers seem to have no result," Christians are called by Christ to "insist and not give up," the pope said Jan. 9 during his weekly general audience.

Generously caring for the sick and the marginalized is the best way to combat a culture of waste and indifference that seeks to control and manipulate life, Pope Francis said.

As the celebration of Christmas draws near, the plight of the Holy Family calls to mind the sufferings of the many men, women and children escaping war and persecution, Pope Francis said.

God sends his consolation to those in need of reassurance, even when they are facing death, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis approved a new set of laws concerning the structure and governance of Vatican City State in an effort to simplify its many offices and activities and to boost oversight, transparency and budgetary controls.

Jesus' way of praying to his father throughout his life is a reminder for Christians that prayer is more than asking God for something but is a way of establishing an intimate relationship with him, Pope Francis said.

The Advent season is a time of preparation for the coming of the prince of peace and not a time of making war with those around you, Pope Francis said.

Selling Dorothy Day's former New York parish to make way for luxury apartments would be a devastating blow to residents and former parishioners in a neighborhood threatened by gentrification, an American researcher said.

Jesus showed his authority as king not through the power of weaponry, violence or deceit but by the power of his love for the world through his death on the cross, Pope Francis said.

When Pope Francis visits Panama for World Youth Day in January, he will meet with young people not able to attend the festivities: some in jail and with some living with HIV.

Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile, announced that his term as a member of Pope Francis' international Council of Cardinals has ended.

Christians in Latin America must hold fast to their traditions, which are rooted in love for Christ and especially in remaining close to the marginalized and downtrodden, Pope Francis said.

Accepting an invitation by Moroccan King Mohammed VI, Pope Francis will make a two-day apostolic visit to Morocco next year, the Vatican announced.

The Sixth Commandment's mandate against adultery is a call to fidelity that applies not only to married couples, but to all Christians called to love others through their vocation, Pope Francis said.

Six bishops representing episcopal conferences on five continents issued a joint statement calling on the international community to take immediate action against climate change.

The synod's final document will seek to address issues concerning all young people and not just those issues facing young men and women living in Western countries, said members participating in the Synod of Bishops.

Survivors of abuse in Chile believed they had won a major victory when they heard a Chilean court recognized that the Archdiocese of Santiago prevented a thorough investigation into sexual abuses committed by a former priest.

Hypocrisy is the leaven that causes men and women to be self-centered and indifferent to the world around them, Pope Francis said.

The church needs to further integrate women into ecclesial life to confront the problems of clericalism and an exaggerated sense of masculinity, a Vatican official told the Synod of Bishops.