Two leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops hailed the Supreme Court’s June 24 decision to overturn the court’s 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide and said it is time for “healing wounds and repairing social divisions” with those who take opposing views on abortion.

The court’s reversal of its long-standing abortion ruling brings abortion policy decisions to the state level. At least half of states plan to ban or restrict abortions with this decision in place.

The church must stand with the weakest who are often prey to corruption, violence and fear brought on by the Mafia and organized crime syndicates, Pope Francis said.

Perhaps signaling some improvement in Pope Francis’ painful knee, the Vatican announced June 23 that he will visit Canada in late July. However, the Canadian bishops said that, due to the 85-year-old pope’s age and limitations, it is expected that his participation at public events will be limited to approximately one hour.

A Dearborn Heights pregnancy center was vandalized June 20 in an apparent attack by protesters who support legal abortion.

Christians must have faith that God will bring peace to Ukraine, Ethiopia, Syria and other parts of the world suffering from violence even if, for now, “everything seems to be going in the opposite direction,” Pope Francis said.

Thousands of records detailing requests to the Vatican made by Jewish people persecuted by the Nazis will be made available online to the public, the Vatican announced.

On the eve of the World Meeting of Families and with a view toward the beatification Sept. 4 of Pope John Paul I, attention turned to his initial openness to softening Catholic teaching on contraception and his later support for the teaching of St. Paul VI.

Families are called to bridge the gap between older and younger generations and defend life, said U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.

As the Catholic Church in the United States marks two decades since the U.S. bishops adopted a document establishing policies to deal with allegations of sexual abuse of children by clergy, Jesuit Father Jerry McGlone worries about the psychological responses the event could trigger.