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• New style of papacy: Pope Francis pays hotel bill
• Pope Francis signals core mission – returning Catholics to the church
• Pope's partial lung shouldn't affect duties
• New pope tied up in Argentina's 'dirty war' debate
• New pope's views bind simplicity with 'complexity'
• Pope pledges good relations with Jews
• Israel welcomes new pope as friend of the Jews
• Argentina's pope stood up to power, but has his critics
• Witnesses: Church torched in eastern Libya
• The Jesuits, veterans of tense times with Vatican
• Life returns to normal in the tiny Quebec town that could have produced a pope
• Argentina's pope goes for the Saints in soccer
• Argentine pope: A reflection of Catholicism 'south of the equator'
• New pope urges Church to return to its Gospel roots
• African Catholics see hope in choice of non-European pope
• Latin America sees change under region's 1st pope
• New pope? Unbelievers shrug, carp, titter
• Unknown assailants set fire to church in Libya's Benghazi
• Latin America - a litany of challenges for Pope Francis
• Russian Orthodox leader tells Pope must act together
• Pope, in first homily, says Church should focus on Gospels
• Pope Francis' election stirs up Argentine 'dirty war' allegations; supporters call it unfair
• New pope must end Vatican leaks, says Austrian cardinal
• Pope Francis: representative of God - and Latin America?
• By-the-book Vatican braces for unscripted papacy
• New pope's views, from tango, to art, to gay marriage
• First Jesuit pope brings new concerns, new style
• Pope Francis' humility: stops by hotel to pay bill
• African, Asian Catholics see Pope Francis as force for renewal
• World welcomes Pope Francis as humble champion of poor

New style of papacy: Pope Francis pays hotel bill Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:31 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — On his first day as shepherd of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Pope Francis picked up his luggage at a Vatican hotel, personally thanked each member of the staff and even paid his own bill. Then, at his first Mass, he delivered a short, unscripted homily — in Italian, not the Latin of his predecessor — holding the cardinals who elected him responsible for keeping the church strong.

Pope Francis signals core mission – returning Catholics to the church Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:58 PM PDT As Pope Francis appeared on the Vatican balcony Wednesday night and prepared to offer his first blessing as pope, he signaled a priority for his pontificate: renewing Catholic faith in places where it's lost much of its luster.

Pope's partial lung shouldn't affect duties Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:15 PM PDT LONDON (AP) — The new pope has daunting challenges ahead ranging from the church sex abuse scandal to reinvigorating the flock.

New pope tied up in Argentina's 'dirty war' debate Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:47 PM PDT BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — It's beyond dispute that Jorge Mario Bergoglio, like most other Argentines, failed to openly confront the 1976-1983 military junta as it kidnapped and killed thousands of people in a "dirty war" to eliminate leftist opponents.

New pope's views bind simplicity with 'complexity' Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:13 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — At gatherings of Latin American bishops, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was often a star speaker about economic inequities in a profit-driven world. He also has used the forums to warn fellow church leaders about drifting from core Catholic values and teachings.

Pope pledges good relations with Jews Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:02 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis reached out on Thursday to Rome's Jewish community, saying he hoped he would be able to contribute to furthering good relations between Catholics and Jews. The new pope sent a message to Rome's chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, inviting him to his inaugural Mass at the Vatican on March 19. "I sincerely hope to be able to contribute to the progress that relations between Jews and Catholics have enjoyed since the Second Vatican Council," he said, according to a statement on Vatican Radio. ...

Israel welcomes new pope as friend of the Jews Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:52 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli leaders are welcoming the selection of Pope Francis and calling him a friend of the Jewish people.

Argentina's pope stood up to power, but has his critics Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:40 PM PDT By Helen Popper and Karina Grazina BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is a fearless critic of the powerful and a bold advocate of the poor, but some say he let down his country by staying silent during a "dirty war" dictatorship. Links between some high-ranking Roman Catholic clergymen and the military regime that kidnapped and killed up to 30,000 leftists between 1976 and 1983 tarnished the Church's reputation in Argentina and the wounds have yet to heal. ...

Witnesses: Church torched in eastern Libya Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:06 PM PDT TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Witnesses say that unidentified assailants torched a church used by Egyptian Christians in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Thursday, a week after scores of Christians were detained and reportedly abused by militias there for alleged proselytization.

The Jesuits, veterans of tense times with Vatican Posted: 14 Mar 2013 01:02 PM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — While the Vatican has picked the highly disciplined Jesuits as advance men for planning papal pilgrimages and to run its worldwide broadcasting network, the notion of a Jesuit pope is still being absorbed in the Holy See.

Life returns to normal in the tiny Quebec town that could have produced a pope Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:46 PM PDT LA MOTTE, Que. - Retirement will have to wait for the owners of the only business in Cardinal Marc Ouellet's one-intersection hometown.

Argentina's pope goes for the Saints in soccer Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:30 PM PDT BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — He could have chosen the Devils. Instead he turned to the Saints.

Argentine pope: A reflection of Catholicism 'south of the equator' Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:11 PM PDT As news spread that the Catholic Church's most powerful position had gone to a non-European for the first time in more than 1,000 years residents of Argentina's capital were scrambling to double check their smartphones – and asking each other if the news was really true.

New pope urges Church to return to its Gospel roots Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:40 AM PDT By Crispian Balmer and Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In his first public Mass, Pope Francis urged the Catholic Church on Thursday to stick to its Gospel roots and shun modern temptations, warning that it would become just another charitable group if it forgot its true mission. In a heartfelt, simple homily, the Argentinian pope laid out a clear moral path for the 1.2-billion-member Church, which is beset by scandals, intrigue and strife. ...

African Catholics see hope in choice of non-European pope Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:28 AM PDT Catholics in Africa have greeted the election of the first Latin American pope with hope, saying his experience as a Christian leader in the Southern Hemisphere will help deal with the continent's many challenges, including poverty, governance, and underdevelopment.

Latin America sees change under region's 1st pope Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:27 AM PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — The famous words uttered to announce that a leader of the Catholic Church has been chosen now have special resonance for Latin America, which had felt neglected by the Vatican and has finally produced the New World's first pope.

New pope? Unbelievers shrug, carp, titter Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:18 AM PDT By Alastair Macdonald LONDON (Reuters) - When a new man takes over the leadership of more than a billion people, it's hardly surprising it was big news on Thursday. But, hold the front page - this isn't Pope Francis. As in some other places where the Roman Catholic Church carries little weight, 1.3 billion Chinese paid scant attention to the Vatican; media in China focused rather on Communist party chief Xi Jinping's confirmation as head of state in Beijing. Such blanket indifference was not the global norm, however. Few of the six billion people not claimed by the Church among its 1. ...

Unknown assailants set fire to church in Libya's Benghazi Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:12 AM PDT BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Unknown assailants set fire to an Egyptian Coptic church in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Thursday, witnesses said, the second attack on the building in weeks. Residents said the attack appeared to be in reaction to a protest at the Libyan embassy in Cairo earlier this week where Egyptian protesters burnt a Libyan flag outside the embassy and, according to police at the scene, held aloft a cross. The demonstrators there said they were protesting the death of an Egyptian Copt in an explosion in front of a church in Libya a month ago. ...

Latin America - a litany of challenges for Pope Francis Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:53 AM PDT By Hilary Burke and Paulo Prada BUENOS AIRES/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio reached deep into communities to put his Church on the front lines of their social, economic and spiritual struggles. In the vast slums that circle the Argentine capital, part of a massive urban sprawl of 13 million people, the man who this week became the first Latin American pope would occasionally celebrate Mass. More importantly, though, he deployed priests, nuns and others to minister to the poor, the sick and the uneducated. ...

Russian Orthodox leader tells Pope must act together Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:53 AM PDT MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church told newly elected Pope Francis on Thursday they must act together to defend Christians persecuted in some parts of the world and promote traditional values against secularism. The Russian Orthodox Church shares the Roman Catholic Church's conservative stances on many moral issues but disputes still strain relations nearly a millennium after the Great Schism split Christianity into eastern and western branches. ...

Pope, in first homily, says Church should focus on Gospels Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:40 AM PDT VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - In his first public Mass, Pope Francis urged the Catholic Church on Thursday to stick to its roots and shun modern temptations, warning that it would become just "a compassionate NGO" if it forgot its true mission. The Argentinian pope, addressing cardinals in the Sistine Chapel where he was elected pontiff on Wednesday, said the Church should be more focused on the Gospels of Jesus Christ. "We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we don't proclaim Jesus Christ, something is wrong. ...

Pope Francis' election stirs up Argentine 'dirty war' allegations; supporters call it unfair Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:38 AM PDT BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Pope Francis is known for his humility, his reluctance to talk about himself. The self-effacement, admirers say, is why he has hardly ever denied one of the harshest allegations against him: That he was among church leaders who actively supported Argentina's murderous dictatorship.

New pope must end Vatican leaks, says Austrian cardinal Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:35 AM PDT By Keith Weir VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis must end the scandal of Church secrets being leaked to newspapers, Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn said on Thursday, underlining one of the challenges facing the new Roman Catholic leader. Pope Benedict, who stepped down last month, had to deal with the "Vatileaks" case in which his butler was convicted of stealing personal papal documents and passing them to the media. The documents alleged corruption within the Vatican and infighting between senior prelates over the running of the Vatican bank and several projects in Italy. ...

Pope Francis: representative of God - and Latin America? Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:00 AM PDT The first-ever Latin American pope has prompted mixed reactions in the region, from sheer jubilation and tongue-in-cheek comments to serious questions about his relations with a former Argentine dictatorship and his position on same-sex unions that have gained approval in several Latin American nations in recent years.

By-the-book Vatican braces for unscripted papacy Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:44 AM PDT By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican, an age-old institution used to having almost everything done by the book, is bracing for the unscripted papacy. In less than 24 hours after he became the first non-European pope in some 1,300 years, Francis seemed to break more rules than his predecessor did in eight years. "We are going to have to get used to a new way of doing things," said Father Tom Rosica, an amiable Canadian priest who runs a Catholic television station in Canada and was drafted to Rome to help with the media influx during the papal transition. ...

New pope's views, from tango, to art, to gay marriage Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:35 AM PDT VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio surprised the world on Wednesday when he ended a run of nearly 1,300 years of European popes and greeted St. Peter's Square for the first time as Pope Francis. Here is a selection of the 76-year-old Jesuit's opinions on topics ranging from unmarried mothers, gay marriage, globalization and his own interests and life experience: On baptizing children of unmarried parents: "The child has absolutely no responsibility for the state of his parents' marriage. ...

First Jesuit pope brings new concerns, new style Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:26 AM PDT By Tom Heneghan and Mary Wisniewski VATICAN CITY/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Jesuits, the legendary order of Roman Catholic priests known for its intellectuals, missionaries and iconoclasts, are unusual in the Church because they take a vow of obedience to the pope. Now that one from their own ranks has become Pope Francis, Jesuits are wondering whether there should even be a Jesuit pontiff and how former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio can carry out this unprecedented task. ...

Pope Francis' humility: stops by hotel to pay bill Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:09 AM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis put his humility on display during his first day as pontiff Thursday, stopping by his hotel to pick up his luggage and pay the bill himself in a decidedly different style of papacy than his tradition-minded predecessor, who tended to stay ensconced in the frescoed halls of the Vatican.

African, Asian Catholics see Pope Francis as force for renewal Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:45 AM PDT By Marina Lopes and Manuel Mogato MAPUTO/MANILA (Reuters) - Catholics in Africa and Asia on Thursday greeted the election of Pope Francis from Argentina as a historic breakthrough that would pump the developing world's vital energy into a struggling Church and amplify the voice of the planet's poor. While there was disappointment that Pope Benedict's successor did not come from the African or Asian continents, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio's Third World origins spurred hopes of a kindred spirit among Catholics from Manila to Maputo. ...

World welcomes Pope Francis as humble champion of poor Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:23 AM PDT By Alexandra Ulmer and Kevin Liffey SANTIAGO/LONDON (Reuters) - Latin America's Roman Catholics rejoiced that the new Pope Francis is one of their own, while elsewhere the world has hailed him as a humble champion of the poor and wished him the strength to lead the Church out of crisis. Commentators said Francis had a reputation for being as conservative as his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, but Latin American Catholics celebrated the fact that the cardinals had, in his words, gone "to the end of the world" to find him. ...

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