In Nigeria, nuns work to decrease deaths of mothers, children

A Catholic diocese and nuns are working to reduce the number of women who die in childbirth and the number of children who die young, and a hospital administrator said it does not take expensive technology.

Nicaraguan bishop, priest accuse police of harassment

A Nicaraguan bishop and priest have accuse police of harassing them -- the latest attempt by the government to impede the work of the Catholic Church.

Battle against human trafficking must target social media, pope says

The fight against human trafficking needs to include promoting the ethical and responsible use of technology and social media, Pope Francis said.

World must never lose hope that peace, fraternity can prevail, pope says

Every member of the international community must play a part in addressing the many problems affecting the world, Pope Francis told diplomats.

At massacre site, Salvadoran cardinal condemns vengeance, exalts peace

In a stretch of land known as Las Aradas, in a remote part of northern El Salvador bordering Honduras, Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez blessed the monument, sprinkling holy water on top of the bricks bearing the names of those in the mass grave underneath.

As executions resume, Bishop leads vigil to pray for end to death penalty

On May 10, as the state of Arizona prepared to carry out its first death sentence in nearly 9 years and with a second execution expected a month later, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment, leading a prayer vigil at Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral for an end to the practice.

Canada’s assisted suicide law undercuts palliative care, experts say

Evidence is mounting that assisted suicide's introduction into the Canadian medical system is not only undermining governments' oft-stated plans to improve palliative care but is actively damaging the country's already inadequate palliative care system. Some patients are choosing to die rather than to continue to live without adequate palliative care.

Pope: Focus on the essential like St. Charles de Foucauld did

The Catholic Church needs to strive continually to make sure it is focusing on the essentials of Christian faith -- Jesus and charity -- and not "get lost in so many secondary things," Pope Francis said.

Do not be afraid to vent to God, have faith in his justice, pope...

Pope Francis praised the way people have faced the trials and losses in their lives with a firmness of faith in God's promises and love.

Understanding Americans’ abortion views from poll results not always easy

How to make sense of Americans' attitudes toward abortion? It isn't easy. In polls, many respondents will give answers that contradict each other.