Pope Francis

Religion

Pope Francis: Church Should Apologize To Gays And Other Marginalized Groups

7:55pm June 26, 2016

by Colin Dwyer

Aboard a flight from Armenia, the pontiff said the Church owes an apology not only to gay people, but also to other marginalized groups. "We Christians must say we are sorry," he said.

A worker puts final touches on the podium at Yerevan's Republic Square on June 23, where Pope Francis is to lead a service. The pontiff arrived in Armenia for a three-day visit on Friday.

Religion

In Armenia Visit, Pope Aims For Reconciliation In A Tense Region

12:00pm June 24, 2016

by Sylvia Poggioli

Last year, Pope Francis called the Ottoman Empire's slaughter of Armenians "the first genocide of the 20th century," sparking a diplomatic spat with Turkey. He begins a 3-day visit to Armenia Friday.

Posters touting the Women Priests Project along a wall.

Seizing On Pope's Remarks, Women Meet In Rome To Discuss Female Priesthood

8:30am June 04, 2016

by Sylvia Poggioli

Pope Francis broke a Catholic Church taboo last month when he said he would create a commission to study whether women can serve as deacons — as they did in early Christianity.

Pope Francis Says He's Open To Studying Whether Women Can Be Deacons

5:01pm May 12, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The pontiff says he is willing to create a commission on the issue. It could signal a turning point for the Roman Catholic Church, which does not allow women to serve in ordained ministry.

Pope Francis meets migrants at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos on Saturday.

'Do Not Lose Hope': Pope Francis Visits Migrants In Greece's Lesbos

11:08am April 16, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Pope Francis paid a visit to the Greek island of Lesbos Saturday and meet with migrants at a detention center. The EU has started deporting migrants from Greece to Turkey.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders leaves the Vatican Friday. Sanders went to Rome to attend a conference sponsored by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Politics & Government

Sanders Takes His Message To The Vatican

4:35pm April 15, 2016

by Don Gonyea

The Democratic presidential hopeful said it was worth it to take time away from the campaign trail to attend a Vatican conference on social and economic justice.

The mothers of Militsa Kamvysi, 83, (left) and Maritsa Mavrapidou, 85, arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos nearly a century ago as refugees from what was then the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). "We welcomed refugees because we're descended from refugees,

World News

For These Greek Grandmas, Helping Migrants Brings Back Their Own Past

3:20pm April 15, 2016

by Joanna Kakissis

The women, now in their 80s, say they live on Lesbos because their parents came to the island as refugees a century ago. Pope Francis will highlight the plight of all migrants on a visit Saturday.

Queue Listen Now

Pope Francis welcomes Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Vatican on Jan. 26. The pope has been extremely active in global political affairs and has often been critical of the West.

How Pope Francis Became A Foreign Policy Player

11:16am April 14, 2016

by Sylvia Poggioli

The pontiff isn't content to remain in the Vatican or sit on the sidelines. His trip this weekend to the Greek island of Lesbos is just one part of his emerging world view.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, seen here in 2014, is being replaced as the apostolic nuncio in the United States, after reaching mandatory retirement age in January.

Pope Francis Replaces Ambassador Who Arranged Kim Davis Meeting

3:11pm April 12, 2016

by Bill Chappell

The move had been anticipated since the exiting nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 earlier this year.

NPR's Don Gonyea spotted this poster at Bernie Sanders' Buffalo field office in New York. Sanders has often praised Pope Francis for his focus on economic inequality.

Politics & Government

Bernie Sanders Accepts An Invitation From The Vatican

4:03pm April 08, 2016

by Asma Khalid

Bernie Sanders plans to attend a Vatican conference about social, economic and environmental issues next week. Sanders says he's a "big, big fan of the pope" for "talking about the idolatry of money."