The overcrowded, underequipped Camp Moria, had an official capacity for just 2,800. Its population had been as high as 20,000 refugees, a number reduced to about 12,000 at the time of the fires.

The pastoral, which is in English and Spanish, is titled "Transformed by Hope, Let Us Rebuild Our Tomorrow!" and addressed to all the people of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

Catholic bishops and diocesan tribunals are making steady progress in implementing Pope Francis' reforms to make the annulment process quicker, but it is taking longer to achieve the pope's goal of making the process less expensive for couples.

Euthanasia legislation is headed for the Spanish Senate and, if passed, it would be a defeat for human dignity and would affirm a self-centered view of life that proposes death as a solution to one's problems, the Spanish bishops' conference said.

Even small shifts in the Catholic vote, which covers a lot of ground both geographically and ideologically, could make the difference in the presidential election, writes Robert David Sullivan.

As a Catholic who embraces the church’s teaching on the innate value of every human life, the importance of public order and the need for mercy to temper justice, I am very comfortable supporting the reelection of our president.