In a move that one church historian has called the “most important step in the history of the church for the past 10 centuries", Pope Francis has set up a panel of eight advisors that will help him run the Catholic Church. The members of the group are known for their positions on church reform issues, including a "zero tolerance" policy for sex abuse cases, and a desire for financial oversight at the Vatican bank.

The formation of the panel aligns with recent statements by the newly-elected Pope, which emphasized integrity among church leaders and ending hypocrisy. On Saturday, Pope Francis gave a message in which he said, "Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is undermining the Church's credibility" … Discuss

Newly appointed Pope Francis, who has already surprised Vatican officials with his own financial humility (he’s decided to live in a small guest house instead of a palace, and insisted on paying for a recent hotel stay with his own money), now reportedly intends to end corruption at the Vatican’s bank. The bank (known as the Institute for Works of Religion or IOR), has long faced accusations of improper financial practices. Last year, the Vatican's administrative body, the Curia, also came under fire after leaked documents exposed more financial scandals and called into question how the IOR was run. Pope Francis has said the church must be run honestly, and his review of the bank could reform it or even close it permanently … Discuss

Newly-appointed Pope Francis made international headlines when he announced that instead of delivering Holy Thursday Mass from St Peter's Basilica, he would instead visit a youth prison on the outskirts of Rome. It’s now being reported that among the 12 inmates whose feet he washed during the ceremony, for the first time ever, Muslims and women were included in the Holy Thursday rite.

The foot-washing ceremony has been traditionally limited to men, because Jesus’ 12 disciples were all male. In his unscripted message to the young offenders, he encouraged them to serve others: “It is the example of the Lord. He was the most important but he washed the feet of others. The most important must be at the service of others” … Discuss

New research on the Shroud of Turin suggests that the burial cloth may be real. The authenticity of the linen cloth, which some believe is the actual burial shroud of Jesus, has long been the subject of controversy. New infrared light tests on the cloth conducted by Scientists at the University of Padua in Italy suggests that the cloth does in fact date back to the time of Christ.

The news comes as the Vatican plans to show the Shroud of Turin on TV on Easter Sunday; its first television appearance in 40 years. Also today, a new mobile app, Shroud 2.0, designed by the Museum of the Holy Shroud and the Archdiocese of Turin, will allow users to examine the famous cloth up-close via a 12-billion-pixel image … Discuss

During a message at the first event of a busy Easter week, newly appointed Pope Francis told priests that their focus shouldn’t be on advancing their own ministry careers or becoming better church managers, but on serving the poor and hurting. Later today, the Pope will break from Vatican tradition and deliver Holy Thursday Mass at a youth prison on the outskirts of Rome, instead of the normal location of St Peter’s Basilica. There, he will wash the feet of 12 young inmates. Pope Francis, known for his humility and emphasis on serving others, made headlines this week when he announced that instead of living at the elaborate palace designated for the pope, would instead be taking up residence at a quiet guesthouse … Discuss