Bishops who want to establish a religious order in their dioceses must first obtain the written permission of the Holy See.

In keeping with Italian law, all of the religious leaders, including Pope Francis, wore a mask except when delivering their speeches, which they did while keeping a distance from those listening.

A Vatican criminal court has accused Father Gabriele Martinelli of repeatedly sexually abusing a younger student at a seminary inside the Vatican.

Father Gabriele Martinelli faces charges of sexually abusing younger boys when he was a seminarian at the St. Pius X Pre-Seminary. Father Enrico Radice, former rector of the seminary, is accused of aiding and abetting the abuse.

Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said the release of Father Maccalli as the church is preparing to celebrate World Mission Sunday Oct. 18 “is a great sign of hope for us, for Africa and for the universal church.”

Vatican officials did not appreciate Secretary Pompeo's public pressure when a meeting was scheduled just two weeks later; some saw the move as political tactic during Donald Trump's campaign for reelection.

The Vatican has proposed to the Chinese government that they extend an agreement signed in 2018 regarding the appointment of bishops, Vatican Media reported.

Pope Francis insisted that addressing the pandemic and building a more just and equitable world involves looking at every aspect of national and international life.

The campaign launch featured short videos from Cambodia, India, Brazil and Kenya recounting how, in response to new problems and new needs raised by the COVID-19 pandemic, women religious and their congregations switched gears.

About 10 days before he was expected in Rome, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that the Vatican "endangers its moral authority" by considering an extension of its 2018 agreement with China on the nomination of bishops.