Among practicing Catholics, 90 percent now say they view Pope Francis favorably, up from 83 percent in August, one month before his visit. Among all Americans, the pope's numbers jumped from 58 percent to 74 percent.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and the Anti-Defamation League suggested a racial motive may be at play in fires set at six St. Louis-area churches. In a prepared statement, the ACLU of Missouri’s executive director, Jeffrey Mittman, called the fires “domestic terrorism.”

After checking with the pope himself and other sources, Father Lombardi told reporters "the pope enjoys good health" and that the unsubstantiated news report was "a serious act of irresponsibility, absolutely unjustifiable and unspeakable."

Weary faces, fussy babies, little boys teasing little girls to the point of tears and repeated uses of the Arabic word, "inshallah" (God willing) reflect the uncertainty faced by refugees trying to reach northern Europe.Thousands of people fleeing Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan pass through t

All of Christ's disciples, especially its pastors, are called to model themselves after Jesus and "suppress our instinctive desire to exercise power over others, and instead exercise the virtue of humility," Pope Francis said.

 Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami cut to the chase about halfway through his Oct. 8 keynote at a Respect Life celebration sponsored by the Diocese of Evansville."The story of the Holy Family is instructive," said Archbishop Wenski, who devoted his remarks to migration and immigrat