A new book of essays on the Catholic Church in China ably captures the evolving turmoil the church faces in a complicated situation.

As he enters his 84th year, Pope Francis continues to be an important source of hope and encouragement for countless people in a world where these are in short supply.

Pope Francis will appear in a new Netflix docu-series that highlights the stories of elderly people from around the world.

This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell talk about how the Vatican is weighing the pastoral needs of Iraq’s embattled Christian community and the health and safety concerns for Pope Francis and for the crowds who want to see him.

“What they did was portray an astronaut offering the moon to Jesus,” Angelo Bottone said. “To me, it’s an expression of profound worship.”

Pope Francis’ remarks from his general audience on Wednesday, Dec. 16.