The pope wants the February summit “to be an assembly of pastors, not an academic conference—a meeting characterized by prayer and discernment, a catechetical and working gathering.”

“The reappearance of some populist and nationalist impulses today is progressively weakening the multilateral system,” Pope Francis said, “resulting in a general lack of trust, a crisis of credibility in international political life and a gradual marginalization of the most vulnerable members of the family of nations.”

It is not enough to know that Jesus was born, like Herod, if we do not encounter him.

Alessandro Gisotti, an Italian journalist who is the social media coordinator for the Dicastery for Communications, has been appointed by the pope as interim director.

Francis prayed for peace, and said that "without the fraternity that Jesus Christ has bestowed on us, our efforts for a more just world fall short."

“Be converted and hand yourselves over to human justice, and prepare yourselves for the divine justice.”