Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, applauded recent progress made around the world to end the AIDS epidemic and warned against complacency on efforts to end the disease.He made the comments in a statement to the United Nations' high level meet

Church leaders who decide not to attend, he said, bear responsibility for reneging on their commitment to realizing "this vision held over many years, which all our churches cherish, to declare and proclaim the unity of our Orthodox Church."

Akyra Murray, who just recently graduated from West Catholic Preparatory High School, was the youngest victim of the Orlando nightclub shooting June 12.According to news reports, Murray's family went to Orlando to celebrate her graduation, and she and her cousin and friend decided to go dancing

With a compromise on the gun issue still improbable, Sen. Chris Murphy stood on the Senate floor for most of Wednesday and into Thursday.

"Reflecting on the lives of these great men and women can show us how we might serve as witnesses to freedom today."

Opening the Year of Mercy jubilee celebration for the sick and persons with disabilities, Redemptorist Father Cyril Axelrod insisted sign language, tactile sign language and body language are "gifts of the Holy Spirit."