Jesuit Refugee Service/USA has named Kelly Ryan, an accomplished diplomat, attorney and policymaker, as its new president. She will begin serving on May 1.

Record-breaking surge in Easter baptisms reflects shifting religious landscape in France, with increasing numbers of adults and adolescents seeking entry into the Church amidst what many describe as accelerated de-Christianization.

Pope Francis appealed for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza after the killing of seven aid workers and the bombing of the Iranian consulate, warning against the war’s escalation.

“It is not easy to be a Catholic, and it is not easy to be a writer. To be a Catholic writer is doubly difficult,” wrote Jacques Maritain, who nevertheless became one of the most influential 20th-century Catholic writers on either side of the Atlantic.

It appears Pope Francis did not want the story of his relationship with Benedict XVI to be told by others, least of all by Archbishop Georg Gänswein.

“Just cause” eviction laws can add a measure of security and predictability to housing markets. They can also correct the power imbalance between large landlords and tenants.

A meditation for Easter

“The idea of a preacher who sings as a part of their homily is part of many African American cultural traditions,” explains Kim Harris. “The songs carry so many of our stories, hopes, and beliefs, and what we’re thinking about and believing and preaching about.”

Those chosen to lead the Way of the Cross included minors living in foster homes, people with disabilities, migrants, catechists, priests and cloistered nuns.