"Despite the Vatican-China agreement on Bishop appointments," the USCIRF report says, "Chinese authorities continued to harass, detain, and torture underground Catholic bishops—such as Cui Tai and Huang Jintong—who refuse to join the state-backed Catholic association."

Pope Francis calls on world leaders "to act with courage, to act with justice and to always tell the truth to the people, so that people know how to protect themselves from the destruction of the planet, how to protect the planet from the destruction that many times we trigger."

People who you'd expect to be anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers turn out to be strongly pro-mask and vaccine — because they care for someone vulnerable. It's a teachable moment for them, but only if they see how their experience changes their politics.

Written by more than 30 experts and running to more than 700 pages all told, the report looks at religious freedom violations in 196 countries – basically every country on earth – and covers trouble spots both on and off journalists’ radar screens.

Born in 1924 in Sydney, Edward Cassidy seemed a most unlikely candidate for the priesthood, let alone a member of the elite College of Cardinals. Philippa Hitchen looks back on his life and times, with the help of several prominent Churchmen who - like her - had profound respect and abiding affection for him.

"[W]e must not despise vocal prayer," Pope Francis said at the General Audience on Wednesday. "Please! Do not succumb to the pride of despising vocal prayer."

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The jury deliberated about 10 hours before coming back with their unanimous findings. The National Fraternal Order of Police says the justice system worked as it should, that the trial was fair and the process was served.

Tan France promises to love the child a surrogate mother is carrying for him and his partner. But what about the anonymous mother? Surrogacy isn't an innocent economic exchange.

"Archbishop Eamon Martin explained the deep concerns already expressed with regard to the criminalising of leading, and gathering for, public worship at this time in Ireland despite the consistent support from the Churches for public health messaging since the beginning of the pandemic."

Written by more than 30 experts and running to more than 700 pages all told, the report looks at religious freedom violations in 196 countries – basically every country on earth – and covers trouble spots both on and off journalists’ radar screens.

"To be clear," Paul Fahey argues in this essay, "this is not a conservative or liberal problem. Cantalamessa is not chastising any particular political agenda. He is criticizing the subjugation of the Gospel to any ideology."

In his Good Friday homily this year, the preacher to the papal household warned the Church against division. He should have turned around and spoken to the greatest source of it, Pope Francis himself.