“This gesture by people who are used to living with pain and suffering, and yet manage to relieve it and help, tells us that there is still a lot of greatness among us,” the pope said.

A diocesan spokesperson for the diocese told Catholic News Service Oct. 6 that the diocese only learned of the closures at Cuomo’s news conference.

The youth ministry of Mary Help of Christians Parish and the archdiocese's minor seminary have been helping distribute rice meals to the needy as part of the project's expansion.

Popularly known as Mother Cabrini, the saint is revered for her devotion to children, immigrants and the destitute.

Pope Francis tackled several issues in his new encyclical, but the section devoted to ending capital punishment was particularly cheered by U.S. Catholics who oppose the death penalty.

The Victoria Police media unit said Monday they couldn’t find any record that the Vatican had alleged witnesses against Pell were bribed with Vatican money.