“The rationale for our initiative has been severely distorted by some special-interest groups,” Kevin Cook said.

The agency has been assigned the task of combating the “de- Christianization” of countries that were first evangelized centuries ago.

The Hong Kong Catholic Justice and Peace Commission is campaigning for the release of the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize.

“The people of the South are beating day and night the drum of secession, independence,” said Bishop Paride Taban, retired bishop of Torit.

“Few of the suburban communities have a social services infrastructure in place to address the challenges this increased poverty poses.”

Some bishops suggested that structural reforms would be required to preserve the identity and authority of the 22 Eastern churches.

What the unity of the North American Orthodox and Catholic Churches might look like

Almost 44 million Americans now live below the poverty line, and 21 percent of all U.S. children are growing up poor.

The last remaining Catholic adoption agency in England has filed an appeal against a decision forbidding it to turn away same-sex couples.

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has pledged a seat in a New York Catholic school for any child who wants it.