After years of negotiation, the Trans-Pacific Partnership on its way to a last review in Congress

Religion reporters may know more about the church than the average Catholic.

The council’s decree asserted that the death of Jesus was not to be blamed on all Jews collectively, eliminated the word deicide and condemned any form of anti-Semitism.

Tribunal ChangesRe “Family Matters, Part 2,” (Editorial, 10/5): Having discussed Pope Francis’ recent reforms to the annulment process with a former member of an archdiocesan tribunal, it seems there are three major changes, not all of which, in his opinion, are for the good.First,

Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher of Gatineau, Quebec, said the Synod of Bishops on the family should reflect on the possibility of allowing female deacons as it seeks ways to open up more opportunities for women in church life. Where possible, qualified women should be given higher positions and decis

In a highly significant intervention at the synod on the family on Oct. 6, Pope Francis warned the synod fathers against giving in to “the hermeneutic of conspiracy”—what in English might be called “the conspiracy theory”—which, he said, “is sociologically w

How do we find happiness? The answer to this question is very much a scriptural one, though we do not usually think of the Bible as concerned with happiness. We imagine it to be devoted to a whole different set of issues. And yet happiness—our happiness—is very much a part of what the Bi

Encountering trauma in the Bible

Pope Francis made a passionate appeal to the international community to find ways to resolve the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Jerusalem and the West Bank of the Jordan, where there is “an escalation of violence” that is bringing destruction and great sufferings to the peoples living there.S

The 318 participants attending the meeting of the Synod of Bishops on the family have raised or discussed a wide range of topics during the first four days of this gathering. Among them are the terrible, destructive impact that war, armed conflict, poverty, unemployment, persecution and violence aga

Among the many dynamics at the synod, one could note the difference of perceptions between bishops from different cultures. Some Western prelates seem to be of the view that synod fathers from Africa are impeding progress on questions that are important in their region—for example, the church&

It flew to the moon

The synod process is complex and messy, but it isn’t rigged

Abuse by clergy in Australia has led to a crisis of faith and a loss of trust in the church.

Has Obama's rhetoric of transcending partisanship lost its appeal?

"Jesus' words are strong, aren't they?" the pope said. "'Woe to the world for scandals.' Jesus is a realist. He says it's inevitable that there will be scandals, but 'Woe to the one who causes the scandal,'" the pope told people attending his weekly general audience.

The Christian must discern all things, even when everything is going well.  That was at the heart of Pope Francis’ homily at Mass on Friday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican.At his Friday morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis focused his remarks on

Over the past few days, the 270 synod fathers and other participants have discussed part 2 of the working document (“Instrumentum Laboris”), which deals with “The Discernment of the Family Vocation.”

A recent essay by Arthur Brooks has much to say to people of all ages on the importance of remaining intentional about work.