VATICAN CITY – Christians can become stagnant if they do not have the crashing waves of hope moving in their lives, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY – Citing the negative misinterpretations that the word “secret” implies, Pope Francis has changed the name of the Vatican Secret Archives to the Vatican Apostolic Archives.

VATICAN CITY – The church resolves conflicts and discerns God’s will by patiently listening, discussing and deciding under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY – Indigenous people are hoping that the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon will awaken the world’s conscience to their plight and not simply offer them lip service, an indigenous participant told Pope Francis.

VATICAN CITY — The first week of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon saw support for the priestly ordination of married indigenous men, impassioned pleas for respect for indigenous culture and denunciations of violence against the earth.

VATICAN CITY – The Catholic Church’s mission in the world is to spread the fire of God’s love and must not be limited to the “‘ordinary maintenance’ of those who already know the Gospel,” Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY —Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes said the working document for the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon is not official church teaching, but rather a way for bishops to listen to the local church’s concerns.

VATICAN CITY — In a ceremony to create 13 new cardinals, Pope Francis reminded new and old members of the College of Cardinals how much their ministry and service depends on their realizing how much God loves them and has been compassionate with them.