The Earth is ailing, and it needs the prayers of Catholics as well as their personal commitment to caring for creation, Pope Francis said.

Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha hosted a diverse group of leaders from government, business, education, nonprofit, agriculture and religious organizations from across northeast Nebraska for a day of reflection on how to care for our common home.

Though the historical era of armies of women religious functioning as a workforce for the Catholic Church is over, the sister at the forefront of efforts to guide congregations through their transformations says it is also a time of new beginnings.

Respecting the God-given dignity of the human person and the integrity of God’s creation “are inseparable,” said Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

While expert scholarship and good stewardship mean the pontifical universities in Rome should be working together, Pope Francis said it is essential that the Pontifical Urbanian University does not lose its centuries-long focus on preparing missionaries from and to the varied cultures of the world.

Australian volunteers working in East Timor say excitement is growing ahead of Pope Francis’ visit there in September, when more than half of the mostly Catholic population is expected to converge on the capital Dili.

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, recently spoke with OSV News following his return from the 10th Meeting of Bishops and Migration Pastoral Agents of North America, Central America and the Caribbean, which took place Aug. 19-23 in Panama.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, faced criticism from some pro-life activists after he made comments during an interview that aired Aug. 29 appearing to suggest that he planned to vote to expand abortion access in Florida’s upcoming ballot referendum.

As immigration becomes an increasingly hot-button political issue in the United States and Europe, Pope Francis again underscored the moral weight of how migrants are treated, hammering home a message of acceptance that has been a pillar of his pontificate for more than a decade.

A few hours after he railed against unjust immigration policies at his general audience, Pope Francis and community organizers associated with the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation returned to the theme of welcoming and integrating migrants.