VATICAN CITY -- Three days after the preacher of the papal household called on Catholics to repent for the ways they are dividing the church, the Vatican secretary of state said the divisions are real and they are harmful.

OTTAWA -- A planned visit this month by one of the highest-ranking members of the Catholic Church to commemorate the anniversary of a milestone in the relationship between Canada and the Holy See has been put off until at least next spring because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

VATICAN CITY -- Cardinal Pietro Parolin, in marking the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, called on the organization to renew its commitment to the ideals upon which it was founded.

VATICAN CITY -- As the expiration of a provisional agreement signed between the Vatican and China approached, the Vatican secretary of state said he hopes it will be extended.

BEIRUT -- Bringing a message of hope to Lebanon, a month after a double blast struck Beirut, Pope Francis' closest collaborator assured the Lebanese: "You are not alone. The whole world supports you."

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican has ordered Enzo Bianchi, the 77-year-old founder and former prior of the ecumenical Monastery of Bose, to leave the community following an apostolic visitation to clarify leadership within the group.

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican Secretary of State's visit to Russia later this month comes at a crucial juncture for the country, and is packed with both political and religious significance.

VATICAN CITY – After violence followed a controversial vote in Venezuela this weekend, the Vatican Secretary of State has encouraged the country's citizens to find a "peaceful and democratic" way out of the crisis.

VATICAN CITY – Peace and an end to violent conflicts around the world should be placed above any national interests when it comes to the relationship between Western countries and Russia, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.

VATICAN CITY – While there had been problems and complaints in the past, the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital was working resolve them, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, who oversees the hospital.