Pope Francis delivered his annual “state of the world” address on Thursday, asking ambassadors to pursue a “diplomacy of hope” in the 2025 Jubilee Year.

Warning of “the increasingly concrete threat of a world war,” Pope Francis called for “the diplomacy of hope” in his address to the ambassadors of the 184 countries that have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

Pope Francis expressed concern about "the increasingly concrete threat of a world war" at a New Year's reception for foreign ambassadors to the Holy See on Thursday. The head of the Catholic Church called on diplomats to engage in dialogue,

Gossip kills, gossip poisons. Please, no gossiping among you, none. And to ask this of a woman is heroic but, come on, let’s move forward and no gossip.”

In what would have been his last overseas trip as president, Joe Biden had been set to depart for Italy Thursday night to meet with Pope Francis.

President Joe Biden has canceled a planned trip to Rome to meet with Pope Francis so that he can instead focus on federal response to the rapidly moving wildfires that are tearing through the Los Angeles area,

Putting a spotlight on the “scourge of child labor,” the Holy Father lamented that there are “too many children forced to work” who are unable to smile or dream.

Pope Francis boys basketball senior Ryan Vedovelli scored his 1,000th career point in a win over Springfield Central on Jan. 8, 2024. Gage Nutter Ryan Vedovelli scored his 1,000th career point in the same way he scored most of the previous 999.

Pope Francis’s appointment of Cardinal Robert McElroy as the highly visible prelate of the church in Washington is already being interpreted as a shot across the bow of the Trump administration, given the new archbishop’s outspoken views on immigrants’ rights.

President Biden has canceled his upcoming trip to Italy, including an audience with Pope Francis, to “remain focused on directing the full federal response” in the wake of the devastating wildfires raging in California.

Vice President Kamala Harris is canceling the final foreign trip of her term because of the wildfires in California