Being an altar server should be a “profession of faith” to the entire parish community, Pope Francis told young men and women participating in Portugal's annual altar server pilgrimage to Fatima.

With today’s decree, Pope Francis abolished privilege in matters of civil and penal matters, making it possible for ordinary Vatican tribunals to judge cardinals and bishops.

Pope Francis introduces significant changes to the “General Regulations of the Roman Curia,” to prohibit Vatican officials and related entities from accepting or soliciting money or gifts valued at more than 40 euros (around $50), either for themselves or for someone else.

On this week’s episode of “Inside the Vatican,” America’s veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell and host Colleen Dulle dig into what we know about each upcoming papal trip and what is motivating the pope to go.

Journalism gets attention when it breaks big stories about institutions like Enron and the Catholic Church. But they can only do that work if they are consistently read — and broadly trusted.

The methods of meditation are paths to travel to arrive at the encounter with Jesus, but if you stop on the road, you will make a “god” out of the path.