Junno Arocho Esteves

The kingdom of God is being established slowly in the world through patience and gentleness and not by violence or force, Pope Francis said.

The death penalty is a cruel violation of the basic right to life and robs people of the chance to repent and make amends for the crimes they have committed, Pope Francis said.

The Lenten season is a reminder for Catholics that overindulgence ruptures communion with God, with others and with creation, Pope Francis said.

Vatican City: Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, who served as moderator of the Feb. 21-24 summit, said Pope Francis will soon publish a new set of laws and guidelines concerning child protection for Vatican City State.

Vatican City: If they are truly serious about fighting clerical sex abuse, bishops must join forces with journalists and not view them as enemies plotting against the Catholic Church, Mexican journalist Valentina Alazraki said.

When speaking to God as a father, Christians experience a love that goes beyond human love and affection, which can be unpredictable and mired by selfishness, Pope Francis said.

Sustainable development in rural areas is key to making poverty and hunger a thing of the past, Pope Francis said.

Prayer is not just a private and intimate dialogue between a person and God, but rather an opportunity for Christians to bring the needs of others before the Lord, Pope Francis said.

Although it has publicly taken a neutral stance in the current political crisis in Venezuela, the Vatican has expressed its support for new elections in the country, said a member of a delegation representing the opposition leader.

God accomplishes great things when Christians cast aside doubt and generously place themselves in his service, Pope Francis said.

Francis Chronicles: The pope said that the joint document signed by him and Egyptian Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of al-Azhar and chair of the Muslim Council of Elders, was a step forward in promoting dialogue and brotherhood.

The choice to follow God in life is not just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but a decision that is made every day, Pope Francis said.

Internal documents relating to the public crisis that led to the resignation of the grand master of the Knights of Malta in 2017 were released by WikiLeaks.

Reflecting on the parable of the Good Samaritan, the pope said Jesus calls on all people to "move from our fixed ways of doing things and our priorities" and take a moment to stop to care for one's neighbor.

Lisbon, Portugal, will open its doors to the world's young people in 2022 for the next World Youth Day.

"Are you willing to be an 'influencer' like Mary, who dared to say, 'Let it be done'?" Pope Francis asked. "Only love makes us more human and fulfilled; everything else is a pleasant but useless placebo."

A church wounded by sin can paralyze, confuse and tire the hearts of Catholic clergy and laypeople, causing them to doubt their mission in the modern world, Pope Francis said.

Youth in the church can bring the joy of the Gospel to the world by showing that God's love excludes no one, Francis says during the ceremony welcoming him to World Youth Day in Panama.