Some in the region see a streak of liberation theology in Francis, who is in Brazil this week for World Youth Day. Read more»

Cardinals have begun meeting to decide who should be the next pope. Preliminary talks began in Vatican City today, ahead of the conclave at which the world's top Roman Catholic officials will elect Pope Benedict XVI's successor. Read more»

The Pope, as you may have heard, is tweeting. Read more»

The 2012 presidential election in Mexico promises to bring change, especially with the opposition PRI entering the race as the prohibitive favorite. Read more»

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass and met with Fidel Castro on Wednesday in Havana, Cuba. Read more»

The arrival of Pope Benedict XVI is being celebrated by many in León, Mexico, but not by all. Read more»

Pope Benedict XVI on Friday denounced the "powerful political and cultural currents" seeking to legalize gay marriage in the United States. Read more»

Once a month, an unconventional mix of churchgoers — devotees, drug addicts and thieves — convene in a church on the outskirts of Mexico City to praise the saint of lost causes. Read more»

Catholic leaders from around the world gathered in Rome on Monday for a Vatican summit on how the church could end sexual abuse of children by priests. Read more»

Pope Benedict started his four-day visit to his homeland, Germany, on Thursday and was greeted by protesters angry over his views on sexuality and cases of child abuse by priests. Read more»

Pope Benedict XVI marked the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States with a message — nothing, not even religion, can justify acts of terrorism. Read more»

The Vatican has just issued a report that declares, without qualification and with utmost urgency, that global climate change is occurring, that humans bear responsibility for it, and that it is our gravest moral imperative to reduce carbon emissions as quickly as possible. Read more»

Is celibacy a sine qua non of priesthood? Pope Benedict thinks so. A couple of Belgian bishops disagree. Read more»

For reasons perhaps known only to the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI is traveling in irreligious Great Britain this week. Read more»

Pope Benedict XVI’s response to the clerical child abuse scandal in Ireland has been widely criticized as flawed for placing much of the blame for the abuse and cover-ups on secularism rather than church structures. Read more»