In Rome on May 9, Sally Hodgdon of the United States, superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery, was elected vice president of the International Union of Superiors General, a body that includes 1,900 religious orders of women worldwide. • Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York on May 13

At the end of 2011, the Catholic population worldwide reached 1.214 billion.

Human trafficking is so widespread that U.S. congregations of women religious are uniting in a nationwide effort to limit its reach. For years individual congregations have run human trafficking awareness programs regionally. Sister Margaret Nacke, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, Kan., sa

“Money has to serve, not to rule," Pope Francis said. " We have created new idols."

The audit found the fewest abuse allegations since the data collection began in 2004.

A bomb attack on May 5 at a church in Arusha, Tanzania, killed two people and wounded a dozen more. The Vatican nuncio, Archbishop Francisco Padilla, escaped unharmed. • A degeneration of religion is how the Vatican’s culture minister, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, on May 8 described Mexico

School-choice initiatives were given a big boost in late March by the Indiana Supreme Court.

The separation barrier would nearly surround a convent and its primary school.

The bishops’ conference has appealed to the nation’s doctors to return to work and save lives.

Nearly 2.5 million refugees are now scattered in camps in states bordering Syria.