In a speech to the Congregation for Bishops, Pope Francis said bishops should act not like ambitious corporate executives but as humble evangelists and men of prayer, willing to sacrifice everything for their flocks. “We don’t need a manager, the C.E.O. of a business, nor someone who sha

Nigeria is in a state of shock after the killing of 59 students at a government-run college by Boko Haram Islamic militants in the northeastern state of Yobe during the night of Feb. 25. Two days later another attack on a village claimed 12 more lives. During the school attack, the militants spared

Security and police forces seemed to melt away from the embattled Independence Square in Kiev and throughout the city, as it awoke on Feb. 21, the day after opposition and government forces signed an agreement that effectively ended turmoil in Kiev’s streets. In a rapid and remarkable series o

As some 150 cardinals from around the world gathered with Pope Francis to talk about the family, their two days of discussion focused particularly on three points: the Christian vision of people and family life, essential pastoral programs to support families and ministry to divorced and civilly rem

In New York City’s African-American community, more pregnancies ended in abortion than live births in 2012, and its 31,328 abortions—6,570 more than the 24,758 live births—represented a shocking 42.4 percent of all abortions, according to a report released on Feb. 21 by the New Yor

Pope Francis announced on Feb. 24 the creation of a new financial structure to coordinate and oversee the finances of the Holy See and Vatican City State. This was the latest move in the effort to reform the scandal-prone Vatican Bank and other financial institutions in Rome. The announcement comes

Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas told Venezuelan television on Feb. 20 that the church is willing to help establish peace, but reminded the government of its duty to rein in armed groups that are violently disrupting peaceful demonstrations. • Noting the proposed death penalty for the 20-

Rose Pacatte, of the Daughters of St. Paul, will receive the Daniel J. Kane Religious Communications Award, given by the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton, on March 6. • A World Health Organization declaration that India was “polio-free” on Feb. 11 was c

A new method of creating versatile stem cells from a relatively simple manipulation of existing cells could further reduce the need for research involving human embryos. Although the process has been tested only in mice, two studies published on Jan. 29 in the journal Nature detailed research showin

The Vatican’s representative at the United Nations told a congressional panel on Feb. 11 that “flagrant and widespread persecution of Christians rages in the Middle East even as we meet.” Archbishop Francis A. Chullikatt has witnessed the violence firsthand. Before taking his post