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Pope Francis delivers his annual ‘State of the World’ address to members of the Vatican diplomatic corps in January. (Photo: The Vatican)

Pope Francis: The end of a radical papacy born in the south

Francis refused the version of Catholicism that ingratiates itself with the powerful while abandoning the poor

A Ukrainian girl is seeng sleeping in the arms of a UNHCR team member, inside the MoldEXPO, area reconverted in shelter for refugees in Chisinau, Moldova on 2022-03-26
 (Matteo Placucci/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Three reasons the United Nations cannot intervene in Russia’s war on Ukraine

These are the veto power of the Security Council, major powers ignore the UN and the UN secretary general cannot favour either side in the war

Pope Francis.

Pope Francis updates canon law to address paedophilia by priests

Since becoming pope in 2013, the Argentine pontiff has striven to tackle the decades-long sexual abuse scandals involving Catholic priests around the globe.

2020 in pictures

Mail & Guardian pictures editor Paul Botes presents some of the most striking images of 2020

George Floyd’s death  is a consequence of the very real threat of police brutality that follows us (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Catholic NGO boss accused of racism and abuse in Sudan

The aid worker allegedly called his security guard a ‘slave’

(John McCann/M&G)

Let’s change SA’s mind on psychedelics

The major hurdle is not so much an absence of science, or safety, as it is unthinking religious, moral or cultural panic

Once the Vatican’s third-ranking official, George Pell had been trying to overturn the verdicts and six-year sentence for sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys at a Melbourne cathedral in the 1990s.(Reuters/Mark Dadswell)

Father hopes for justice as Cardinal Pell waits on appeal verdict

The former Vatican number three, is appealing against his conviction on five counts of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys in the 1990s

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx. (Reuters/Nguyen Huy Kham)

Cardinal admits Church files on paedophile priests ‘destroyed’

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx was speaking on the third day of an unprecedented summit of the world’s top bishops

Popo Francis was elected in 2013 and vowed to take a “zero tolerance” approach to clerical sex abuse. (Max Rossi/Reuters)

Signal summit on sex abuse opens at Vatican

The idea is that the 114 heads of bishops’ conferences will return home with clear ideas on how to spot and deal with abuse

Germany’s Catholic church apologised last month to thousands of victims of sexual assault by clergy, with Marx insisting that perpetrators must be brought to justice.

Catholic church split over abuse scandal gravity

The Vatican has already warned that in some countries the church is dragging its feet because of cultural difference over what constitutes child abuse

It’s time to take back the tax — by upping the tobacco tax. (Delwyn Verasamy)

Pope calls bishops to ‘child protection’ meeting in February

The Church has been hit by a series of child abuse scandals in recent years

Pope Francis’ visit to Mozambique from September 4 to 6 comes at a critical political moment. (Reuters/Max Rossi)

Pressure mounts on pope for tougher action on abuse scandals

The pope has admitted that the Church had ‘delayed’ in applying the necessary sanctions

Popo Francis was elected in 2013 and vowed to take a “zero tolerance” approach to clerical sex abuse. (Max Rossi/Reuters)

Pope says on side of victims of US ‘predator’ priests

‘Those who have suffered are his priority, and the Church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror’

(Graphic: John McCann/M&G)

Pope accepts resignation of archbishop convicted of child abuse cover-up

Earlier this month, Philip Wilson was sentenced to a year in detention after becoming one of the highest-ranking officials to be convicted

Cardinal George Pell. (Mark Dadswell/Reuters)

Pope aide Pell could face two trials over abuse charges

The Vatican finance chief is fighting to clear his name over historic sexual offence allegations

Once the Vatican’s third-ranking official, George Pell had been trying to overturn the verdicts and six-year sentence for sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys at a Melbourne cathedral in the 1990s.(Reuters/Mark Dadswell)

Pope aide Pell to stand trial on multiple sex abuse charges

The Vatican finance chief has become the highest-ranked Catholic ever to be sent to trial over historic sex offences

A puddle reflects St Peter’s Basilica and priests as they give holy communion during a beatification ceremony of Mother Teresa.

Vatican fraud trial over cardinal’s luxury pad kicks off

A trial against two former members of a Vatican foundation charged with embezzling charity money opened on Tuesday.

Vatican City it is a big dream, say Syrians taken in by the Pope

Response in Rome is mixed as locals see other problems go unaddressed.

St Peters Square as the public waits for the result of the first vote during a papal election conclave on Tuesday.

Massive Vatican library collection to be digitised

The Vatican Library is often thought of as a repository of secrets. But that will change now that it will be one of the world’s great digital drives.

The fragment is believed to have come from Egypt and contains writing in the Coptic language.

Jesus’s wife mentioned in ancient scroll

An ancient piece of papyrus that contains a mention of Jesus’s wife is not a forgery, according to Columbia, Harvard and MIT scientific analysis.