Plumes of white smoke streaming from a Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday signaled that a new leader of the Roman Catholic ...

African outreach was among Pope Francis' legacies, observers say, with numerous visits and a message of mercy inspiring ...

As cardinals prepare for the largest papal conclave in history, battle lines are being drawn over the direction of the church ...

First, those who embrace Pope Francis’ wide-ranging, modernising changes in the Catholic church. The reform-minded pope made ...

Catholic Church approaches pivotal conclave with 3 African cardinals among leading pope candidates, reflecting shifting ...

With at least three African cardinals in the running to become the next Pope, African Catholics are excited, but remain ...

All eyes are on the Vatican as the conclave deliberates. Speculation is rife that the next pontiff may come from Africa or ...

“The future of the Catholic church passes through Africa,” Ilo said. “The continent is a spiritual powerhouse.” The very fact that observers are considering that the next pope could be ...

Sister Ngalula, a Congolese thelogian, says more women should lead the Catholic Church ...

While an African pope would be a historically stunning development, just one of the drawbacks is that no African cardinal holds a major office in the Vatican.

Cardinals electing a new pope have some fundamental questions to weigh, beyond whether to give the Catholic Church its first ...

Pope Francis often pointed to Africa, which is seeing the highest growth in population in the Catholic church, as the continent of joy and hope. A continent where the world can see how religious ...