Pope Francis offered prayers and condolences to the victims of a fire in an Orthodox Church that took the lives of 41 people — including 18 children — who died in a fire in Egypt’s capital, Cairo.

Police raided the curia in the predawn hours of Aug. 19 and took Bishop Rolando Álvarez, according to a social media statement from the Diocese of Matagalpa.

While the purpose of Pope Francis’ visit to Kazakhstan will be to attend the Congress of World and Traditional Religions, the interreligious meeting also will serve as the backdrop for his long-awaited meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.

The Idaho Supreme Court Aug. 12 upheld a state law that bans abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. The law will take effect Aug. 25.

Catholics on two different continents want more inclusion — including of women and LGBTQ Catholics — more adult faith formation and help with engaging young adults.

Pope Francis dedicated his general audience talk to the urgent need for young and old to come together so older people can share their faith and wisdom about the world.

A new online study course titled “What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith” was “created by a few very imperfect disciples who happen to be crazy about Christ and his church,” said one of the authors and presenters of the course.

Good journalism has to be creative and promote communication that focuses on dialogue, intelligence and helping build active communities, said the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication.

Staring down a future of uncertainty, religious life finds itself in need of a map, the outgoing president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious told the organization’s members.

St. Anthony Catholic School in Northeast Washington has been vandalized twice in less than a week in what the principal of the school is calling “a hate crime.”