Pope Francis expressed his “spiritual closeness” and “solidarity” with those affected by a pair of powerful earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria Feb. 6.

Lengthy, abstract homilies are “a disaster,” so preaching should be limited to 10 minutes, Pope Francis said to diocesan liturgical directors on Jan. 20.

Looking back 22 years after their public, published differences, Cardinal Walter Kasper wrote that his “friendly debate” with then-Cardinal Ratzinger had always pleased him.