This story has been updated. The Catholic Church and its approximately 1.4 billion followers have a new leader and the first American pope. At 6:06 p.m. Rome time Thursday, May 8, white smoke emanated ...

Editor's note: A conclave to elect the next pope is set to begin May 7. Follow along here for more information. Hundreds of thousands of mourners were gathering at the Vatican to honor the life of ...

Seven months into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago roots have helped frame both his spirituality and priorities.