Pope Francis has last weekend invited young people to tell him, their bishops and their pastors about their hopes and struggles and even their criticisms.

When Jolimont resident Peter Saunders looks back at Pope (now Saint) John Paul II’s tour of Australia more than 30 years ago, what he remembers most prominently is the generosity and support which the Western Australian community provided to him as State Director of the visit.

The Magi had the courage to set out on a journey in the hope of finding something new, unlike Herod who was full of himself and unwilling to change his ways, Pope Francis said.

Make time to get ready for what Christmas really is about — the child born in Bethlehem signalling that “God is with us,” Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis phoned Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria on 12 December, expressing his prayers and condolences for the previous day’s terrorist attack at the Cairo cathedral that left 25 people dead.

Jesus truly transforms and heals hearts when people let him, which means recognising and being ashamed of one’s sins, Pope Francis said at his morning Mass.

Today we remember the visit of Saint John Paull II to Alice Springs 30 years ago. His words to the Aboriginal People still ring out around Australia: The Church in Australia herself will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution to her life and until that contribution has been joyfully received by others.

Humanity does not own God’s gift of creation and has no right to pillage it, Pope Francis said.

The beauty of the family, based on the indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman, and the fragile realities and challenges facing married couples today, was the focus of Pope Francis’ 2016 Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love, released in April.

Following Christ the King, whose regal power is love and mercy, means the whole Church and each Christian must “follow his way of tangible love,” Pope Francis said.