"The crisis in Syria is now in its fifth year, and the neighboring countries where we've been providing assistance are running out of resources," said Kim Pozniak, communications officer for Catholic Relief Service.

"May Every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family" Pope Francis appealed.

It is the fiat of the local bishop whether to allow the priests in his diocese to absolve those sins that result in automatic excommunication.

Workers across India are upset about labor policies they say are detrimental to their welfare, said Bishop Oswald Lewis of Jaipur.

Pope Francis will get a glimpse of leafy Central Park and thousands of waving New Yorkers on Sept. 25 when he makes "a historic procession" through the urban landmark.

A new survey by Pew Research finds most Catholics, no matter what their family structure, are comfortable with a wide variety of family arrangements that the church does not encourage.