"Each time a pope takes ill, the winds of a conclave always feel as if they are blowing," Francis writes in his new memoir, referring to centuries-old tradition of cardinals gathering in the pope's official residence, the Sistine Chapel, after a pontiff's death to elect the next.

Constantly in the public eye, Pope Francis is instantly recognisable across the globe, and his likeness adorns t-shirts, mugs, calendars, bookmarks, medals and jewellery, among other things. Too conservative for some, not conservative enough for others, he is the face of the modern Catholic Church.

it trails Pope Pius II's reflections on the Renaissance in "The Commentaries" by several centuries. Still, it's fairly unusual for a modern pope to reveal his thoughts so directly. Here are five new things we learn about Francis in "Hope." 1. He was nearly ...

The book, which was six years in the making, vividly recreates Francis’ childhood in Buenos Aires but offers few new insights into his papacy.

Pope Francis' autobiography ... by the publisher as the first memoir by a sitting pope, it trails Pope Pius II's reflections on the Renaissance in "The Commentaries" by several centuries.

WITH ruthless ambition, suspense and even spies, hit movie Conclave lays bare the fight to succeed as a new Pope. The thriller has not only won critical plaudits, yesterday it clinched a

The Catholic Church has its own history of prophetic voices using the moral authority of the priesthood to remind political leaders of the Christian precept of human dignity.

Historian Yvonnick Denoël delves into recently declassified documents for his book 'Vatican Spies', revealing an intricate network of hidden connections and underground conflicts that, starting from World War II,

Popular author and preacher Francis Chan was recently questioned by fellow pastors who are trying to get their heads around Chan's decision to leave his megachurch. "I'll be honest. Everybody thinks you're cuckoo for cocoa puffs. You got a good church ...

While some Jewish leaders condemned the pope’s recent remarks on Israel, others believe that Catholic-Jewish relations can survive the current tension.

Today, Andrew and Anne and their baby boy live on their 65-acre farm in western Pennsylvania, purchased a year ago, and have become heavily involved in restoring the Catholic Land Movement (CLM), a project that began in the early-20th century and received an apostolic blessing from Pope Pius XI in 1933.

Among the traditional religious activities that can earn one an indulgence — such as pilgrimage to holy sites, acts of charity and saying special prayers — Pope Francis introduced a new option: a call to fast from the internet and social media.