Less than a week after Pope Francis told a joint meeting of Congress that he backs U.S. efforts to abolish the death penalty, news came of his U.S. nuncio's letters to authorities in two states appealing on the pope's behalf to commute death sentences.

The Walker family departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, in March. Their goal was to reach Pope Francis and the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

More than 30 European Catholic justice and peace commissions have pledged their support of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and said they were grateful Pope Francis called the goals an "important sign of hope."

The pope has called on every parish, religious community, monastery and shrine in Europe to take in refugees, given the ongoing crisis of people fleeing from war and poverty.

'The church urgently needs religious who dedicate their lives to being on the very frontiers between faith and human knowledge, faith and modern science,' Pope Francis told the group of papal astronomers.

Are Catholics considering the pope in their political decisions?