Pope Francis said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragic shooting in a Swedish school, sending “assurance of his spiritual closeness to all affected by this traumatic incident,” in which 10 students of an adult education center lost their lives.

Christians are called to follow Mary’s example by responding to God’s love with action, reaching out to others instead of withdrawing from the world, Pope Francis said.

The church must welcome young people and embrace their desires and doubts to bring them closer to Jesus and ultimately open them up to receiving God’s call, Pope Francis said.

Governments have a serious responsibility to care for their nation’s children, but no caring person can stand by idly when children anywhere are starving, said the founder of a private charity working in 16 of the world’s poorest countries.

An official of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said Pope Francis’ decision to suppress Sodalitium Christianae Vitae was based on the fact that there was no authentic charism, or spiritual gifts, in the controversial lay movement founded by Luis Fernando Figari in 1971.

There is no greater work that Christians can perform than “transmitting the saving message of the Gospel to others,” Pope Francis said, especially among those on the margins of society.

Wrapping up a Vatican summit on the rights of children, Pope Francis announced he was going to publish a papal document dedicated to children.

Forgiving others is never easy, and it is even more difficult in a situation of war, but it is essential, Pope Francis told Ukrainian young adults.

The presentation of Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem shows that God’s closeness to humanity is not confined to a place of worship but is manifested in his living among people, Pope Francis said.

The use of artificial intelligence in schools must not threaten “the indispensable relationship between teacher and student” that lies at the heart of education, the Vatican said.