This gesture, he continued, is meant to "sow love among us" and that the faithful, even those in prison, can imitate Christ in the same manner.

As extraordinary as the apparitions at Fatima, Portugal, nearly 100 years ago were, the sanctity of the shepherd children did not hinge on their having seen Mary, a cardinal said.

The "Lavanderia di Papa Francesco" ("Pope Francis Laundry") is a free service "offered to the poorest people."

Humility, courage and openness are crucial in creating harmony between social, scientific and political bodies, the pope said.

Pope Francis has made it possible for bishops to ensure the validity of marriages celebrated in the traditionalist communities.

The Vatican welcomed the refugee families after an appeal made by Pope Francis on every parish, religious community, monastery and shrine in Europe to take in a family of refugees.

Pope Francis made headlines with the canonization of two children, but his adoration cannot match that of St. John Paul II.

Among the main concerns addressed by the commission was outreach out to victims, an issue first raised by Collins shortly after she resigned from her position.

More than 35 years after Blessed Romero's death, documentation regarding an alleged miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Romero is being studied at the Vatican.

Pope Francis said Christians must ask themselves whether they listen to the word of God or have "lost faithfulness to the Lord and live with the idols that offer me the worldliness of every day."