Several watchdog groups say that religious freedom around the world is taking a beating, and the Catholic pastoral group Aid to the Church in Need says the persecution of Christians is “today worse than at any time in history.”

The closer you are to Christ, the more confidently you can trust your instincts.

When was the last time you talked about faith with a friend?

Pope Francis prepares to visit Ireland, a country rocked by decades of revelations about sexual abuse of children in its churches, the physical torture of youngsters in its schools and the humiliation of women in its workhouses.