Junno Arocho Esteves

Meditation is more than just a method of stress relief for the body, it is a way of encountering Christ in one's soul, Pope Francis said.

In a video message sent April 15 to the general assembly of the Brazilian bishops' conference, the Pope Francis encouraged the bishops to give hope and charity "especially to those most in need so that they may smile again."

Three priests associated with a minor seminary located in the Vatican testified that they neither witnessed nor were informed of suspected cases of sexual abuse occurring at the school.

Ensuring equal access to health care, especially for the less fortunate, can only be achieved through a "renewed moral commitment by the countries with the greatest resources to the countries most in need," Cardinal Peter Turkson said.

Christians are never alone in prayer but instead are accompanied by myriad saints who protect them and seek God's intercession, Pope Francis said.

The Easter liturgies -- with the fire, sharing of light from the paschal candle, the renewal of baptismal promises and the proclamation that Jesus has risen -- assure people that it is never too late to start again, Pope Francis said.

Zack Snyder's version of Superman's journey, which culminated March 18 with the release of his cut of "Justice League," mirrors the defining moments in Jesus' life that Christians commemorate each year.

A former student at the St. Pius X Pre-Seminary in the Vatican said he witnessed "dozens" of instances of abuse at the minor seminary.

Like St. Joseph, who had other plans for his life but lovingly embraced his role as Jesus' foster father, a priest assigned to a new parish cannot impose his own ways on that community, Pope Francis said.

A former student of the minor seminary located at the Vatican said he was sexually abused over a six-year period despite having told the rector that an older student was "bothering" him.

"The world will never be the same again. But it is precisely within this calamity that we must grasp those signs that can prove to be the cornerstones of reconstruction," the pope says in a new book.

"I saw the hope of being open to a horizon of peace and fraternity, summed up in Jesus' words that were the motto of the visit: 'You are all brothers,'" Pope Francis said of his recent visit to Iraq.

Pope Francis said he believes he will die in Rome, either in office or retired, and will not be buried in his native Argentina.

Several former students told a Vatican court that they experienced an "unhealthy" environment at a minor seminary inside the Vatican.

Christians must never engage in dialogue with the devil, but instead must fight against temptations with the same spiritual weapons Jesus used in the desert, Pope Francis said.

In the wake of the economic fallout due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy said it expects a multimillion-dollar deficit in its budget for 2021.

Promoting sincere ecumenical dialogue can be achieved only when Christians are committed to loving their neighbors rather than viewing them with doubt or suspicion, Pope Francis said.

A priest accused of abusing a younger student at a minor seminary located at the Vatican cited jealousy as the main reason behind the allegations against him.

The liturgy is not a spectacle to be observed but a prayerful event where Christians encounter Christ's presence in their lives, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis announced the establishment of a World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly as a reminder of the important role they play as a link between generations.