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.

Missing for decades, the university’s long-rumored possession of the blue gingham dress worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” showed up in a white trash bag stashed high in a theater department’s office.

As the election, the pandemic and racism made headlines across the U.S. last year, priests’ homilies did not mention these events nearly as much as did sermons by Protestant preachers.

Pope Francis on Thursday sent his condolences to Haiti following what he said was the “heinous assassination” of President Jovenal Moïse.

Bishop Alphonse Quesnel of Fort Liberté, Haiti, said the Haitian church was “stunned” by the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

Even though Pope Francis remains hospitalized while he recovers from intestinal surgery Sunday at a Rome hospital, he is still pope and very much in charge.