Junno Arocho Esteves

As coronavirus cases continue to increase across Italy, the country's bishops issued new guidelines and restrictions meant to curb the spread of infection among the faithful.

Pope Francis reminded parents and godparents of their responsibility to care for and preserve the Christian identity of infants.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta issued a formal warning against a controversial local priest who posted a homophobic remark on Facebook.

Living out and proclaiming the Gospel are inseparable aspects at the heart of an authentically Christian life and witness.

Just as the Magi were guided by a shining star, Christians can rest assured that the light of Christ will guide them to a happy and meaningful life, Pope Francis said on the feast of the Epiphany.

As the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph is an example of the need for loving fathers and mothers in "an age of notorious orphanhood," Pope Francis said.

To discriminate against or persecute those who profess their faith is an intolerable act that threatens the fraternal bonds shared by humanity, Pope Francis said.

"Patients are always more important than their diseases, and for this reason, no therapeutic approach can disregard listening to the patient, his or her history, anxieties and fears," the pope wrote.

Christians can rest assured that even when they feel unworthy, God is a good shepherd who goes in search of them, Pope Francis said.

A second diocese in Sicily, where the Mafia has had a significant presence for decades, announced a temporary ban on the naming of godparents for baptisms and confirmations.

The pope said that only through humility can one truly understand God and oneself because it "opens us up to the experience of truth, of authentic joy, of knowing what matters."

Six months after the Vatican announced criminal charges in connection with a London property deal that cost millions, the Vatican City State court is still dealing with preliminary, procedural arguments.

The ongoing pandemic serves as a reminder that the world cannot move forward without cooperation and solidarity, Pope Francis told a group of ambassadors.

Pope Francis established a new Vatican foundation that will promote initiatives based on the principles set out in his encyclical "Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship."

The absence of any words attributed to St. Joseph in the Gospels speaks volumes about the importance of silence, Pope Francis said.

Festive music, dancing and prayers in honor of Mary echoed through St. Peter's Square as hundreds gathered to commemorate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Christians should prepare for Jesus' birth by serving those in need rather than focusing on what awaits them under the Christmas tree, Pope Francis said.

The representation of Peru's diverse Indigenous communities in this year's Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square embodies the joy and hope of their faith.

The Swiss bishops' conference and the nation's conference of religious orders have commissioned an independent study of sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church.

Archbishop Aldo Giordano, appointed earlier this year as apostolic nuncio to the European Union, died Dec. 2 in Leuven, Belgium, where he had been hospitalized for COVID-19.