In a letter distributed to the bishops at the beginning of their Jan. 2-8 retreat, Pope Francis said he was convinced their response to the "sins and crimes" of abuse and "the efforts made to deny or conceal them" must be found through "heartfelt, prayerful and collective listening to the word of God and to the pain of our people."

Alessandro Gisotti, an Italian journalist who is the social media coordinator for the Dicastery for Communications, has been appointed by the pope as interim director.

Pope Francis marked the fifth anniversary of his election in March in the midst of a firestorm over his handling of clerical sexual abuse and bishops' accountability in Chile.

It has been a very difficult year for Pope Francis.

Francis prayed for peace, and said that "without the fraternity that Jesus Christ has bestowed on us, our efforts for a more just world fall short."

The Mother of Mercy health office is Pope Francis’ latest gift to the homeless, which have also included showers and a barber shop.