The now-infamous gathering of Catholic Bishops to discuss marriage and family ended with the release of a report much less controversial in its final form than in the preliminary draft. Those waiting on serious changes to Catholic doctrine or practice will have to keep waiting, but the Synod may make them believe that hope is not completely lost.

The Vatican has just given official status to a global group of priests who preform exorcisms. To the surprise and disappointment of some, the Pope is still Catholic, and the Catholic Church is still traditional.

Despite gestures that have endeared him to progressives, Pope Francis is just as much a “racist homophobe” as his predecessor, warns Salon.

Pope Francis noted in a recent homily that pets are inadequate substitutes for children. He’s onto something, but his fans in the media may not like it.

Pope Francis’ example of simplicity is leading to less clerical decadence on the local level. It looks like he still has some PR tricks up his sleeve.

Pope Francis proves his dedication to real reform by including a vocal critic, as well as several other women and laypeople, on a committee to review the Vatican’s sex abuse crisis.

Did you see the news that Pope Francis is about to change Catholic teaching on gay marriage? Once again, the “Francis effect” is working its magic on the media’s coverage of the new pontiff.

It looks like Pope Francis’ Palm Sunday might be ending, and his Good Friday approaching.

Heads continue to roll at the Vatican, with Pope Francis appointing a new head of the Financial Information Agency, an anti-corruption body launched by Pope Benedict XIV.Time will tell whether the outgoing or the ingoing group are the real reformers, but the progress already been made of the bank give some hope that positive change may be coming to the Curia.

Pope Francis may have just made his most important personnel decision yet. In a shakeup of the Congregation for Bishops Francis’ decided to give Cardinal Raymond Burke’s seat to Cardinal Donald Wuerl. This move is bound to trouble even further those worried about Francis’ papacy, but isn’t as radical as it might appear. It shows a Pope who’s determined to remake the Vatican hierarchy—within limits.