It implements a novel understanding of marriage, which will grievously harm families and children, the bishops said.

After the Supreme Court in 1976 allowed states to reinstate the death penalty, 37 states had laws on the books permitting capital punishment.

What would happen in a Roe v. Wade reversal is far from certain, Balch added. "Theres a lot of scholarly writing in the event of what would happen," she said, like how to enforce a law outlawing abortion that is still on the books but that has been dormant for close to four decades. "Even if there a

A Vatican spokesman dismissed reports that the Holy See has rejected several candidates because of their support for legal abortion.

If Jesus were a gardener, what kind of garden would he plant?

A Jesuit mission in Micronesia

Three experts on church history and governance discuss Marco Politi's article on episcopal collaboration.

'Mere survival is not the vocation of Christians.'

America engages a new world: Charles Morris on the magazine from 1959-2009

Pope Benedict XVI called for all nations to end the production, stockpiling and use of land mines and cluster bombs.

Jailhouse Blues Your editorial on the prison industry (“Prison Nation,” 3/9) paints a shocking picture. It would be helpful to remind ourselves that while the terminology varies, there are only three goals of imprisonment: the punitive (punishment for offenses), the rehabilitative (reint

After a year of planning, we still weren't sure how many people were going to attend our Centennial Mass on April 18.

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham, England (left), as archbishop of Westminster.

The church teaches that "every life has value and dignity. That is a given," said Andy Rivas, executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference during a Feb. 24 program at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington. Rivas helped devise a program of events in Texas in November that sought

The bishop cited a principle often credited to St. Augustine: "In essential things unity, in doubtful things liberty, but in all things love.

"There will be nothing expected of you but your presence and your willingness to pray with me," said Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik.

Airing Tuesday night on PBS: The Released, the grim story of life after prison in Ohio.

The Living Dead; Obama in Europe