Immediately after Pope Francis became the leader of the world's 1.2-billion Catholics this week, he prayed for guidance. And it's little wonder. He is the newly elected CEO of the Vatican. The United States, despite a currency mantra of "In God We Trust," has also been forced to undergo serious soul-searching following its 2008 fiscal catastrophe.

More than 100,000 people packed St. Peter's Square at the Vatican today to see Pope Francis deliver his first prayer address from a window of the papa...

Abhorring patriarchy, and based on the church's adherence to the doctrine that animals have no soul, in early adulthood I chose to disengage with the Catholic faith. Then came the staggering confirmation that the new pope chose the name Pope Francis. I was flooded with emotion -- Saint Francis: the revered Patron Saint of animals.

This edition of Vatican Idol -- brought to you at a cost of many millions by nearly every media outlet in the world -- is, thank the lord, finally over. Much sound (hymns, sermons and endless journalistic platitudes), no visible fury, and in the end, no significance except the name of the next chief executive officer of this exclusive and dysfunctional men's club.

A photo tweeted by NBC News comparing pilgrims in St. Peter's Square in 2005 and 2013 is going viral on social media. The image composite shows a c...

At least Cardinal Marc Ouellet's mother can take comfort in the fact that he didn't get the gig. "Well, I am keeping my son, in a way," the 90-yea...

Here are some facts about the new Pope (text version below slideshow): - Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aire...

LA MOTTE, Que. - The family of a Canadian cardinal many believed could be pope was relieved Wednesday when it didn't come to be.Siblings of Cardinal M...

Catholics all over the world watched the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday with anticipation as it was finally announced: "Habemus Papum" ...

TORONTO - Canadians greeted the choice of a new Pope with cheers and congratulations Wednesday, though a small contingent expressed regrets that the C...

The Roman Catholic Church has a new pope, and the man chosen to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics has a new name: Francis. The new pope, forme...