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-

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

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 poll by the Spanish-language broadcaster Univision shows Catholics in Asia and Africa, where the church is growing fastest, expressing strong support for church teachings, but divergence among Europeans and Americans. The poll of Catholics in 12 countries showed high approval of Pope Francis but s

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