"We are throwing in the towel because we feel surrounded by a climate of distrust and progressive de-legitimization," founder Lucetta Scaraffia wrote in the open letter to Pope Francis.

According to estimates, 900,000 children have been orphaned or separated from their families as a result of Cyclone Idai, which has devastated the African countries of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

A New Mexico archbishop is renewing his call for Catholics to stop worshipping the skeleton folk saint known as La Santa Muerte, or "Our Lady of Holy Death," saying he fears some mistakenly believe the Grim Reaper-like figure is a Roman Catholic Church-sanctioned saint.

Through a plan called "Education Freedom Scholarships," being promoted by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, $5 billion would be offered in federal tax credits for voluntary donations to state-based scholarship programs. According to some analysts, this measure can be an opportunity for families (who otherwise couldn't afford it) to send their children to religious schools. Others view it as undermining public education.

“Young people who are seeking or questioning their future can find Mary to be the one who helps them discern God’s plan for them and find the strength to follow it.”

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago, Chile, the Vatican announced on March 23.