"[Y]our history and the events of your beloved people stir in me admiration and sorrow," says Pope Francis to the Armenian people in preparation for his visit on June 24-26.

On Tuesday morning the main national road was blocked by debris and tires, street disturbance similar to the kind of actions folks who are old enough will remember were common in streets leading into townships during the protests in the 1980s apartheid era.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo described himself as "deeply disappointed" by the tied vote

As an outsider I find myself terribly inspired by this attempt at a community of nations.

The church is vibrant and 25 percent of the population of Africa, which is now 1.2 billion, is under the age of 25.

Self-interest, petty nationalisms and fears about immigration have completely elbowed out any discussion of the higher ideals of the E.U.