Criminal justice, race relations and health care round out the list of top voter concerns, according to a September Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Democratic voters, according to the poll, place a higher emphasis on health as a voting issue than Republicans.

Cardinal Parolin: Every pope, from St. Paul VI to Pope Francis, has tried to resolve what Pope Benedict described as a difficult situation in China.

Bishop Barber said Oct. 1 the "economic devastation" in this country wrought by the pandemic "has already led to the closure of at least 150 Catholic schools, many in low-income areas that serve children of color."

In a response provided to The Associated Press, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops defended its anti-abuse efforts, which church officials say have helped reduce abuse allegations since 2002 to numbers far lower than several decades ago.

Caravans formed regularly in Honduras prior to the pandemic, though Mexico had started deploying its national guard to impede large groups of migrants from transiting the country.

Although Catholics comprise a small percentage of the total population in Sahel, the church is respected by the population "regardless of their faith and is seen as a neutral, objective and nonpolitical actor across the region," said the CRS report, titled "Steps Towards Peace."