Catholic officials condemned the slayings of 10 young people in the state of Durango and suspended long-running Holy Week missionary programs.
A group of Palestinian Christians, Muslims and some Jewish supporters managed to breach the tight security separating Bethlehem and Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Drenching rains already are turning tent camps outside Port-au-Prince into muddy quagmires.
Twice during Holy Week liturgies, the pope was caught unawares when his aides spoke passionately about the barrage of criticism the pontiff has faced.
The Iraqi Council of Christian Church Leaders was pleased with the level of public participation in the recent elections.
L'Osservatore Romano hailed the new U.S.-Russia disarmament treaty on April 7 as a "significant and courageous step toward international security"
Vatican authorities emphasized that it was the pope who, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, pushed for harsher measures against abusers.