Catholic News Service

The seven-member preparatory commission for the assembly of the Synod of Bishops met at the Vatican March 13-16 and had an audience with Pope Francis on the last day of their gathering.

Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod, has named Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, and six others to be members of the preparatory commission for the general assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October.

The aesthetic and artistic elements surrounding the liturgy must foster prayer and a sense of communion, Pope Francis said.

Being an apostle does not mean climbing up the church's hierarchy to look down on others but humbling oneself in a spirit of service, Pope Francis said.

Establishing clear procedures for protecting vulnerable people against abuse "must become a priority in every local church," Pope Francis said.

In interviews focused on the 10th anniversary of his election, Pope Francis insisted it is not his task to make an accounting of what he has or has not accomplished since March 13, 2013.

Jesus quenches humanity's thirst with love, Pope Francis said.

The Catholic Church is not selective: each one of its members is a sinner and part of the holy, faithful people of God, Pope Francis said in an interview marking his 10 years as pope.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who is on trial at the Vatican for financial malfeasance, tried to get Pope Francis to sign statements saying the cardinal acted with the pope's approval when he used Vatican money to invest in a property in London and when he paid a woman who claimed she could help secure the release of a kidnapped nun.

Oceans are a gift from God and they must be used fairly and sustainably, Pope Francis said in a written message for the Our Ocean Conference.

Pope Francis will open a Lenten prayer and penance initiative at a Rome parish March 17 rather than in St. Peter's Basilica as in past years.

The Second Vatican Council was a "prophetic initiative" to compensate for the church's refusal to engage with society, said the preacher of the papal household.

It is not enough to ask people who have suffered abuse for their forgiveness, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis praised the late Auxiliary Bishop David G. O'Connell of Los Angeles for his "profound concern for the poor, immigrants and those in need" in a telegram following his murder. 

The work of journalists is to listen and convey the truth of what was really said, Pope Francis told a Catholic weekly magazine.

Isolating Syria from the international community through sanctions "benefits no one" and complicates relief efforts to the millions left homeless after earthquakes devastated the country, said a top Vatican official who visited Turkey and Syria.

The call to make sacrifices for others out of love remains urgent as so many people continue to suffer from war, violence, exclusion and poverty, Pope Francis said.

What matters is the truth and the love that God sees, not what is superficial, showy and self-centered, Pope Francis said during a Mass to mark the beginning of Lent.

Russia's suspension of a nuclear arms treaty with the United States weakens structures promoting global security in the nuclear age, a senior Vatican official said.

A year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis asked, "Can the Lord forgive so many crimes and so much violence? He is the God of peace."