Given all the challenges facing the Catholic Church in our country, we are far overdue for a moment in which the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful of our country can discern together how to be the people of God in our time and place.

Pope Francis continues to make progress after his operation but will remain in hospital for to “optimize in the best way possible the medical and rehabilitation therapy.”

The pope looked well and spoke strongly one week after surgery, reports Gerard O’Connell. In addition to thanking people for their prayers, he called for universal health care and condemned violence in Haiti.

Pope Francis continues to make progress in his post-surgery recovery and celebrated Mass in a private chapel on Friday. America’s Vatican correspondent, Gerard O'Connell, reports.

“Everyone is in a waiting mode,” waiting to find out what happened and why, and “what will happen,” Father Saint-Félix said. He asked the Jesuits in Haiti and the lay people who work with them to stay off the streets.

Pope Francis, Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and the Rev. Jim Wallace, moderator of the Church of Scotland, marked the 10th anniversary of South Sudan’s independence and again promised to visit the country when it has a stable peace.

Did the singer-songwriter era come about specifically to fill a demand by retreat directors for a poignant soundtrack to accompany the spiritual epiphanies of 16-year-olds?

What if instead of a few philosopher-kings magnanimously steering the unruly mob, we focused on building a democracy full of philosopher folks?

Pope Francis continues to recover well from the intestinal operation he underwent on July 4. He has walked in the corridor, resumed work, celebrated Mass, and is eating regularly.

Is there a way to fight back?