In a lengthy, in-depth speech to members of the Roman Curia Thursday, Pope Francis dug into what he said are the key guidelines of his ongoing reform, which in his view ought to focus primarily on conversion, unity, and streamlining the old process in order to meet modern needs.

Francis opened his annual Dec. 22 speech reflecting on how God humbled himself, making himself small and becoming a servant to mankind.

“At Christmas we are called to say ‘yes’ with our faith, not to the master of the universe, and not even to the most noble ideas, but precisely to this God who is the humble lover,” he said. Read more

In his latest prayer video, which highlights his prayer intention for the month of December, Pope Francis focused on putting an end to the phenomenon of child-soldiers, which he called a “form of slavery.”

The video, published Dec. 1, shows a soldier suiting up for battle in the dark, boots, gun, and ammo included. When the soldier’s face is shown, it’s a young boy with the lower half of his face covered by a bandana. Read more

On Aug. 26 a museum dedicated to Pope John Paul I was officially inaugurated in the hometown of the “Smiling Pope,” whom Pope Francis has often quoted when speaking on the topic of mercy.

Though his papal reign is among the shortest in history, summing up to just 33 days, Pope John Paul I was in office long enough to leave a mark.

Albino Luciani was born Oct. 17, 1912, in Canale d’Agordo, located in Italy’s northern Veneto region and which sits just over 400 miles from Rome. Read more