“I truly feel great sorrow at having to postpone this visit, which means so much to me," the pope said at his general audience on June 12.

Pope Francis has postponed “with regret” his visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to South Sudan on the advice of his doctors so as “not to jeopardize the result of the therapy that he is undergoing.”

Bishop McElroy has demonstrated that he is one of the strongest supporters of Pope Francis’ vision of church among the American bishops.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano died in a Rome hospital last night from complications related to Covid-19, and other ailments related to his advanced age.

Catholics in China in recent years have experienced greater difficulties in the practice of their faith as a result of the crackdown on religion being carried out under the regime of President Xi Jin-ping.

The 90-year-old cardinal has been an outspoken defender of human rights and democracy in Hong Kong and strongly critical of Beijing for its suppression of fundamental freedoms in the city.