A lengthy report opening the U.S. bishops' annual fall meeting painted a dour picture of the state of religious liberty in the United States.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi focused on the responsibility to protect civilian populations from harmful weapons in an address on Nov. 14.

Otto Pérez Molina, a retired general with a controversial past, has been elevated to the presidency.

"The summons to disobedience has not only left many Catholics shaking their heads, but has also triggered alarm and sadness," the Austrian bishops said.

New research indicates that frequent churchgoers face the future with more optimism and greater social support than other people.

The high incidence of rape in Congo is destroying the nation’s society, said Sister Marie-Bernard Alima.