St. William Church in Louisville reaffirmed its status as a sanctuary parish at a news conference on the steps of the church Oct. 8.

All bishops' conferences and dioceses in Africa should create an office or point person to collaborate with judges, immigration departments and law enforcement to beef up efforts against human trafficking, said delegates to a regional conference.

Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said the people who portray him as an opponent of Pope Francis are being used by the devil to help divide the church.

Proposals in the Oct. 8 morning session of the Synod included discussing the "possibility of diaconal ordination for women, so as to emphasize their ecclesial vocation."

The Haitian bishops' justice and peace commission said that "a change in head of state is crucial as is a change in the way the authorities govern the country."

Almost 1,700 priests and other clergy members that the Roman Catholic Church considers credibly accused of child sexual abuse are living under the radar with little to no oversight from religious authorities or law enforcement.