NATION/WORLD

Celebrating the feast day of Jesus' grandparents, Pope Francis not only urged people to honor their elders, but he asked them to think about what they will hand on to future generations.

The words "I am sorry" are powerful.

While the perfect bishop does not exist, he does have to be a person who knows how to get others involved in the life of the church and to listen to everyone, including those with whom he may disagree, said a new member of the Dicastery for Bishops.

An Australian couple who pioneered one of the world's most successful natural fertility methods are being celebrated as potential saints by those in the medical profession who worked with them as well as families who benefited from their innovative ovulation method, now taught in more than 40 countries around the world.

While presented as missionary work, the operation of residential schools by Catholics in Canada was actually an attempt to impose European culture on Canada's Indigenous people, Pope Francis said.

The first step of Pope Francis' "penitential pilgrimage" to Canada involved him returning two pairs of children's moccasins.

After a flight of more than 10 hours from Rome, Pope Francis landed in Edmonton and met briefly at the airport with Indigenous leaders, Canada's governor general and prime minister before heading to the local seminary for a rest.

My cradle Catholic parents instilled in me the importance of going to Mass religiously (no pun intended) but were never able to articulate why we went, answering only "because we are Catholic and that is what good Catholics do."

For the first time in some 50 years, states have an unprecedented opportunity to explore anew ways to regulate abortion services and at a time when some employer health insurance plans have already entered the fray.

The Texas Catholic bishops urged immigration reform, saying it is necessary to prevent what happened to 53 migrants discovered dead and dying inside a trailer June 27 from happening again.