Significant advances in relations between China and the Holy See could be just around the corner as dialogue enters a new phase, according to Vatican and Chinese government sources.

Pope Francis’ bridge-building diplomacy is also raising hopes for a papal visit to the country, part of a process to help realize Benedict XVI’s vision of one Church in China. But not everyone is convinced, and the Holy See’s revamped Ostpolitik is causing concern that any gains will come at the cost of compromise.

Pope Francis celebrated the beginning of the fourth year of his pontificate with an evocative summary of his first three -- preaching to crowds in St. Peter’s Square on Jesus’ mercy towards a woman found in adultery and giving them pocket copies of “The Gospel of Mercy.”

In his weekly Angelus address Sunday, the day marking the fourth anniversary of his election as the leader of the global Roman Catholic church, Francis said that God “does not nail us to our sins” but instead identifies us by our names and wants us to transform evil into good.

In March 2006, the then-Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah, delivered an invaluable lecture within the framework of a seminar organized by Amman Municipality, titled, “Terrorism: Roots, Phenomenon, Mechanism of Fending it off”.

All these declarations, namely the Istanbul Declaration (2011) which was designed to combat religious intolerance, the Morocco Declaration (2016), and the Doha Declaration (2016) aim at attaining two main targets. The first one is to exonerate Islam of the lurking misconceptions in light of what terrorist groups and organizations commit in the name of religion and the Almighty God; and the second one is to call for instilling mutual respect among the followers of religions.

The number of Catholics in the world rose between 2005 and 2014, the number of priests is up, while the number of religious continues to drop. Positive figures were recorded until 2011 then this trend came to a halt. The underlying trend shows a Church that is growing in Asia and Africa but shrinking in Europe and North America.

At the General Audience, on Wednesday March 2, the Pope denounced “benefactors” who come with “offerings” but these are “the fruit of the blood of people who have been exploited, enslaved with work which was under-payed”. He spoke about the refugees who are arriving in Europe and don’t know where to go.

The Global Times, the semi-official online organ of the Chinese Communist Party, attests with participatory tones that under Pope Francis and President Xi Jinping, "hopes rise for a thaw" in Sino-Vatican relations. And it names an American cardinal as a witness of the new course; one who is convinced that the similarities between the two leaders can become "a special gift for the world".

"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen"

It is a simple prayer symbolizing the cross of Jesus, and the Trinity, and so much more. It is said at the beginning of Mass when the priest commences Mass. My four year old Granddaughter, Lilah, is learning to begin and end her prayers with this prayer. What is the significance for Catholics to say this?

The Maronite Patriarch and cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai: the meeting between the Pope and Kirill was providential. And the Christians of the Middle East judge the Russian intervention in the Syrian conflict positively.

Among the texts which will be submitted to the Pan-Orthodox Council of Crete in June there is a statement on “The mission of the Orthodox Church in the Modern World” which condemns weapons of mass destruction, denounces the gap between rich and poor in the world, and calls for a ban on all forms of discrimination.