Pope Francis has named 14 Roman Catholic prelates to the high rank of cardinal, the elite group of churchmen who are his closest advisers and can enter a conclave to choose his successor if they are under 80.

Pope Francis announced Sunday that he will hold a meeting of the Church’s top council to appoint 14 new cardinals next month, including from Iraq, Pakistan, Madagascar and Japan.

Pope Francis said on Monday that Catholics should not give “excessive importance” to certain Church rules while disregarding others, urging opponents of abortion to show equal passion for the lives of the poor and oppressed.

ABUJA – Pope Francis on Wednesday appointed Rev. Fr. Paul Adegboyega Olawoore, the coadjutor bishop to the Diocese of Ilorin in Kwara state. 

John Ogah, an illegal Nigerian migrant adjudged a hero after foiling a robbery at an Italian shop, has been baptised by Pope Francis.

Pope Francis on Friday said he was “ashamed” that younger generations would inherit a world “fractured by divisions and wars”.

 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was disappointed by the refusal of Pope Francis to personally apologise for the role of the Catholic Church in abuse suffered by tens of thousands of Indigenous children at Canada’s infamous Indian residential schools.

Pope Francis has called for Ecclesiastical Cleansing of the Ahiara Catholic Diocese to intercede for God’s love and mercies for all the faithful in the diocese.

Pope Francis on Wednesday told members of the Mafia in Italy, where many go to Church and worship openly, that they cannot call themselves Christians because they “carry death in their souls”.

The Italian police does splendid work in protecting the Vatican from “crazy” terrorists, Pope Francis said Monday.