Celebrating the feast of St. Matthew with Italy’s financial police, Pope Francis urged them to follow the example of their patron, the tax collector who became an apostle, by not only being just, but also bringing charity and solidarity into their work, especially with migrants and the victims of crime.

The Catholic Church should focus on promoting active nonviolence, rather than refining just war theory as conflicts continue to flare up around the world and threaten peace, U.S. Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego said.

Pope Francis expressed his grief over the killing of a churchworker in Honduras, expressing solidarity with those “who see their fundamental rights violated” and are targeted for their advocacy for the poor and for the care for the planet.

While people can get caught up in the pursuit of power and greatness, Jesus teaches that true power is found in the humility of being a servant to the most vulnerable, Pope Francis said.

Saying Pope Francis had “a mild flu-like condition,” the Vatican press office announced he had canceled his scheduled audiences Sept. 23.

Easter belongs to Christ, not to people deciding where it falls on a calendar, Pope Francis said.

Young people play a pivotal role in promoting social justice and advancing human development, Pope Francis said.

Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius, a Carmelite, has often been lauded for his level-headedness and is liked by both conservatives and progressives in his country.

With some prudence, Catholics can benefit spiritually from the messages and spiritual practices associated with the alleged apparitions of Mary in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, said the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Six young people, aged 10 to 16, said Mary began appearing to them in June 1981 in Medjugorje, a town in what was then Yugoslavia and is now Bosnia-Herzegovina.