'City of Dignity,' by Sean T. Dempsey, S.J., tells a story of how progressive religious leaders, organizations and institutions worked to shape Los Angeles into a city where dignity flourished through their grassroots organizing and activism in the decades after World War II until the mid-1990s.

His stories often exploit the logical but worst possible outcomes of his characters’ spiraling depravity or despair. But Schrader’s faith always informs even his most profane films.

Pope Francis announced the inscription of the 21 workers, most of them Egyptians, in the Roman Martyrology, the compendium of saints celebrated liturgically in the Catholic Church.

A “breakdown in communication” led to permission being given to a group of Anglican clergy to celebrate the Eucharist in Rome’s Basilica of St. John Lateran.

“Top-down” ecumenism has not reduced the distance between the Catholic church and other churches. We need grassroots ecumenical relationships now.

Pope Francis is on an ecumenical pilgrimage for reconciliation and peace with Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury; and Iain Greenshields, the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.