Some things have changed on the southern border, but a lot of things remain the same, according to Catholic humanitarian groups on the ground.

With the Myanmar military taking a more direct role in efforts to suppress protests, the death toll rose quickly on Sunday.

Pope Francis recalled that when the Christian message first arrived, “You received the joy of the Gospel: the good news that God so loved us that he gave his Son for us. And this joy is evident in your people.”

There will be no parades in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, and the government has warned that people who try to organize parties to celebrate the day will face fines and criminal prosecution.

While churches and mosques have been built for centuries in close proximity to each other, the relationship between those who worship God inside these sacred houses of prayer has not always been as close.

The journey to Iraq will be a high-risk standout among the pope’s various efforts to bring attention to the church’s margins.