Pope Benedict XVI News

During an assembly in Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Thursday evening, Pope Francis asked the gathered Bishops of Italy to heed to a new pastoral vision.

Editor's note: Today, The Item is publishing the first of a two-part story on Samuel Alves, a Clinton resident who recently appeared on 'The Voice.' Part one looks at his life leading up to the show.

When we recently received the official agenda for Pope Francis' July trip to Rio de Janeiro, we went straight out to photograph the sites he will visit.

"We are not fighting against flesh and bone. We are fighting the forces of spiritual darkness.

On Sunday, May 26th, solemnity of the Holy Trinity, Pope Francis will visit the Parish of Saints Elizabeth and Zechariah in Rome where he will preside over the morning Mass.

"That's a little bit South American in some ways, more relaxed and not standing on ceremony," Chicago's Francis Cardinal George tells CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine.

So the Pope is at it again . By being at it I of course refer only to spreading the word of his god.

Atheists and other nonbelievers largely welcomed Wednesday's remarks by Pope Francis that performing "good works" is not the exclusive domain of people of faith, but rather a place where they and atheists could and should meet.

Gino Cavicchioli, the world renowned artist who has a studio in Kinloss, has plans to sculpt the Pope - but he needs a model for the early stages of his work.

Atheist activists have long touted the notion that one doesn't have to be religious to be considered a "good" person.

It likely doesn't matter much to the atheists of the world that - of all people - Pope Francis is on their side.

Cambage flew into Tulsa International Airport around 6:15 p.m. after traveling nearly 9,000 miles from her native Australia.

St. Peter's Episcopal Church invites the community to join its monthly film group for a showing and discussion of "The Shoes of the Fisherman" Wednesday, June 5. The group will gather at 6 p.m. Participants are encourage to bring their own bag supper or snacks; coffee will be provided.

Rene Brulhart, director of the Financial Information Authority, an institution established by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 to monitor the monetary and commercial activities of Vatican agencies, and Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, meet the press at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 22, 2013.

El Salvador's president meets with Pope Francis on Thursday amid mounting indications that the stars have finally aligned to beatify assassinated Archbishop Oscar Romero.

According to NESN , Celtics minority owner James Pallotta was at the Vatican on Wednesday and presented Pope Francis with a Celtics Jersey with "The Pope" and #1 on the back.

A Toronto councillor had a holy experience on Wednesday. It's no surprise that he was a few thousand miles from City Hall when it happened.

Pope Francis has issued his first appeal directed at Catholics in China, long the source of concern for his predecessor Benedict XVI.

SPIRITUAL COMFORT: Michael Blain, a retired Anglican priest who was an exorcist for the church, holds a stone carving of an African spirit.

The former Secretary to Cabinet under the erstwhile Mills administration, Sir James Bebaako Mensah, has been sworn into office as Ghana's first ever diplomatic envoy to the Vatican City.