President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines threatened to put all of his critics in jail if they do not relent in their criticism of him, resulting in even greater criticism of his methods and behavior.

Authorities in southern Louisiana are investigating a string of "suspicious" fires at three African American churches in recent days.

The marketplace, not elected officials, should decide whether a company should open an outlet in a particular location, said San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller.

“Because of your calls, emails and efforts, physician-assisted suicide will not be legalized in Maryland this year,” the Maryland Catholic Conference told the state’s Catholics in a message posted on its website March 28. 

A Jesuit from the Zimbabwe-Mozambique province has said that the recent cyclone that hit Africa has "wiped out entire villages"; 2 million people have been affected and more than 700 people have been killed by the storm.

Pope Francis has sent $50,000 each to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi to assist with initial emergency relief efforts.

"To define a whole category of people, or a whole nation, or a whole religious group as being in some way more prone to terrorism than any other group is irresponsible."

The chairman of the U.S. bishops' domestic policy committee late March 19 expressed grief over the lives and livelihoods lost and threatened by the historic flooding in the Midwest and offered prayers for recovery.

Marcelo Gleiser, a native of Brazil, became the first Latin American to be awarded the Templeton Prize. A professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College, Gleiser, who is a professed agnostic, was acclaimed as a "scientist who rejects the notion that science alone can lead to ultimate truths about the nature of reality."

French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon said Pope Francis would not accept his resignation following his conviction for covering up clerical sexual abuse, so he has decided to step aside temporarily for the good of the archdiocese.