Cindy Wooden

"I am writing a second part to Laudato Si' to update it on current problems," Pope Francis told a group of European lawyers Aug. 21 during a meeting in the library of the Apostolic Palace.

In a world suffering from an "epidemic of enmity," Christians can offer healing by recognizing each person as a child of God and reaching out in friendship, said a top Vatican official, writing on behalf of Pope Francis.

On the feast of Mary's assumption into heaven, Pope Francis entrusted to her people's prayers for peace, especially in Ukraine.

The Vatican investment office made 32.27 million euros (about $35.2 million) in profit in 2022 and contributed the entire amount to the Vatican's operating budget, said Bishop Nunzio Galantino, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See.

After leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer Aug. 13, Pope Francis again assured the people of Hawaii of his prayers.

The prelate of Opus Dei said members "accept with sincere filial obedience" the slight modifications Pope Francis made to the section of the Code of Canon Law dealing with personal prelatures.

As controversy and deep division continued in an Indian archdiocese over the direction the priest faces during the celebration of the liturgy, the Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis named Slovak Archbishop Cyril Vasil of Košice as his pontifical delegate to help resolve the dispute.

In a world suffering from "diseases of the soul," like pride, hatred and violence, the young people who traveled to Portugal for World Youth Day showed that another way of living and interacting is possible, Pope Francis said.

Assuring Rome priests of his gratitude and prayers, Pope Francis asked them to use part of their summer rest to reflect on ways to strengthen the unity of the church and promote greater collaboration with laypeople.

Donations to the annual Peter's Pence collection, which supports the work of the Roman Curia and funds the charitable activity of the pope, were down in 2022, but the amount of money the fund distributed increased significantly thanks to the proceeds of property sales, the Vatican said.

With the help of an expert canon lawyer, Pope Francis and members of his international Council of Cardinals discussed ways that the principles behind his reform of the Roman Curia also can be reflected in the structuring and functioning of diocesan chanceries.

The mostly "silent and hidden" work of the Servants of the Paraclete, a religious order that ministers to priests and religious banned from ministry because of abuse allegations or who are experiencing other difficulties, must focus on honesty, conversion and purification, Pope Francis said.

Emphasizing the responsibility of all Catholics to ensure the church is a safe place, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is inviting public comment on a proposed set of principles that church bodies around the world must reflect in their safeguarding guidelines.

The Catholic Church has made great strides in drafting norms to protect children and other people at risk of abuse, but "we don't have a culture of accountability when it comes to the implementation of those norms," said Jesuit Fr. Hans Zollner, a leading expert in the field.

Pope Francis had a 40-minute private meeting at the Vatican with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

With a slightly quivering voice, before leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis thanked everyone who prayed for him and cared for him while he was in the hospital.

"The time has come to say an emphatic 'no' to war" and state decisively "that wars are not just," Pope Francis said in a message to the U.N. Security Council.

A week after undergoing abdominal surgery, Pope Francis' recovery is going well enough that his doctors are making plans to discharge him from Rome's Gemelli hospital, the Vatican press office said.

Shared responsibility and the exercise of authority as a service are both essential for the life and unity of the church, said members of the international Catholic-Orthodox dialogue.

Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the retired archbishop of Naples, celebrated his 80th birthday June 2 and, consequently, became ineligible to enter a conclave to elect a new pope.