Pope Francis blessed thousands of bikers on Sunday when Harley-Davidson riders descended on St. Peter's square at the Vatican for their 110th anniversary, which coincided with an all-day long pro-life event.

The Vatican Radio noted that as many as 1,400 bikers were to be blessed by the Roman Catholic Church leader following the Angelus prayer on Sunday.

The riders were dressed in their trademark leather vests as they gathered around the Vatican, and waited for the pope to drive up in his open-top jeep to greet them and offer his blessings. The event coincided with the Vatican kicking off its "Evangelium Vitae" celebration, a full-day event aimed at defending life by standing up to abortion, murder and euthanasia. more >>

Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.2 billion-large Roman Catholic Church, met for the first time on Friday The Most Rev. Justin Welby, the head of the 80-million strong Anglican Communion, as the two Christian leaders talked about the differences, the similarities, and the road ahead for the two traditions.

The Vatican leader noted that the visiting Welby was officially installed as senior bishop of the Church of England just days after Pope Francis was elected to succeed Benedict XVI, meaning that the two leaders "will always have a particular reason to support one another in prayer."

The Anglican ordination of women as priests has been one of the main causes of strain between the two Christian traditions, since only men are allowed to serve as priests in the Catholic Church. more >>

Media reports are circling around comments Pope Francis reportedy made during a private meeting concerning a "gay lobby" that exists inside the Vatican, though the Roman Catholic Church has refused to provide further clarification so far.  

"In the Curia, there are holy people. But there is also a stream of corruption," the Vatican leader reportedly said during a meeting with representatives of CLAR, the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women, over the weekend.

"The 'gay lobby' is mentioned, and it is true, it is there. We need to see what we can do," he added. The comments were first posted by Chilean website Reflection and Liberation. more >>

Pope Francis urged Christians to avoid adopting a "pick and mix" attitude when it comes to faith, speaking at the Casa Santa Marta residence for Monday morning Mass.

"This is salvation: to live in the consolation of the Holy Spirit, not the consolation of the spirit of this world," the pontiff said in his speech, according to the Vatican radio.

"Salvation is moving forward and opening our hearts so they can receive the Holy Spirit's consolation, which is salvation. This is non-negotiable, you can't take a bit from here and a bit from there? We cannot pick and mix, no? A bit of the Holy Spirit, a bit of the spirit of this world ... No! It's one thing or the other." more >>

A Catholic Archdiocese located in Illinois has launched a charity aimed at raising $350 million to fund its education programs, reportedly the largest charity drive any American diocese has attempted.

Francis Cardinal George, head of The Archdiocese of Chicago, announced the effort at St. Stanislaus Kostka School on at a press conference Wednesday.

"The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago and our faith formation programs make their case in the lives of those transformed by them," said Cardinal George in a message posted online. more >>

Pope Francis has launched a strong attack on what he calls a "Culture of Waste" dominating the world, where some treat a drop in the Stock Market as a tragedy but care little for starving children and homeless people dying on the streets.

"If in so many parts of the world there are children who have nothing to eat, that's not news, it seems normal. It cannot be this way! Yet these things become the norm: that some homeless people die of cold on the streets is not news. In contrast, a ten point drop on the stock markets of some cities, is a tragedy. A person dying is not news, but if the stock markets drop ten points it is a tragedy! Thus people are disposed of, as if they were trash," the Roman Catholic Church leader said on Wednesday in front of thousands of pilgrims at St. Peter's square, the Vatican Radio reported.

Speaking on the subject of World Environment Day, which is sponsored by the United Nations, Pope Francis also reminded the faithful that God gave humans the earth so they can take care of it and protect it, not to exploit and neglect it. more >>