Three Egyptian Coptic monks of the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of South Africa were murdered March 12 in their monastery in Cullinan, a small town in Gauteng province, about 18 miles east of the capital, Pretoria.

A federal judge March 8 dismissed a challenge from Republican-led states, allowing the Biden administration to continue operating a program permitting some migrants from four countries to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds.

The Catholic Church should hold a Synod of Bishops devoted exclusively to defining just war, just defense and just peace, said the president of the Institute of Religion and Society at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv.

Catholic clergy from Egypt have warned that ties with Orthodox and Islamic leaders are being derailed by a Vatican decision to allow the blessing of same-sex couples, after the country’s influential Coptic Orthodox Church suspended dialogue over the issue.

The saints are not unreachable “exceptions of humanity” but ordinary people who worked diligently to grow in virtue, Pope Francis said.

A state judge March 11 temporarily blocked the Texas attorney general’s demands for the records of Annunciation House, citing concerns the state had a “predetermined” motive to shut down the Catholic nonprofit serving migrants.

The work of protecting minors and other vulnerable people in the Catholic Church involves holding those in positions of power accountable for the abuse the commit, Pope Francis said.

The Mexican bishops’ conference, the Society of Jesus and the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious of Mexico convened the country’s three presidential candidates March 11 to sign their National Agenda for Peace — a roadmap for pacifying Mexico and the starting point for dialogue with the next government.

Amid the worst security crisis in Haiti in several years — one that has been particularly hard for church members — Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned after weeks of mounting chaos in the Caribbean nation.

Pope Francis was not asking Ukraine to consider surrendering to Russia when he called for negotiations to end the war, but he was calling for both Russia and Ukraine to cease hostilities and engage in peace talks, the Vatican’s top diplomat said.