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."

Dr. Kermit Gosnell was convicted on May 13 of murder at his Philadelphia abortion clinic, but “nothing can bring back the innocent children he killed, or make up for the vulnerable women he exploited,” said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M.Cap., of Philadelphia. In a statement on May

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