Pope Francis could visit South Sudan or the Democratic Republic of Congo this year, reports Gerard O'Connell. Up to 18 million people are expected to attend the feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila on January 9. The Church should mark the Reformation anniversary by allowing Protestants married to Catholics to receive Holy Communion, German Bishop Franz-Josef Bode has said. Michael Brendan Dougherty says the Pope is considering "transferring competence to deal with abuser priests from the CDF back to Clergy and the Rota". Stacy Meichtry and Francis X Rocca profile the French presidential candidate who doesn't hide his Catholicism. Bishop Robert Lynch notes that the Church is "losing an alarming percentage of the younger generation" in a parting blogpost. And Super Martyrio, Michael Sean Winters and Fr John Zuhlsdorf share their predictions for 2017. Follow me on Twitter @lukecoppen for updates throughout the day.