Nuncio Cardinal Mario Zenari has appealed for financial support for three Catholic hospitals in Syria.
Francis will become the first pope to visit an Anglican church in the Diocese of Rome this Sunday.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna has reportedly told Malta's future priests that if they disagree with Pope Francis "the seminary gate is open".
The Diocese of Toulouse has opened a canonical process to examine allegations against psychoanalyst Mgr Tony Anatrella.
The health of Czech Cardinal Miloslav Vlk has "steeply deteriorated".
