Scores of books and films were produced about St. Francis of Assisi prior to Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio's 2013 election as pope, the first one to take the name Pope Francis.
Eight months after declaring itself a sanctuary parish for undocumented immigrants, St. Thomas More in St. Paul has hosted two families. The parish’s hospitality gave the families time to sort out situations complicated by their lack of legal immigration status.
In the five decades Sister Kathleen Mary Kiemen has been a religious sister, her work has included teaching, parish ministry and environmental activism. For a time, she also helped fellow members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame transition successfully from working to retirement.
Part of a voice-over in the trailer for "Lady Bird" -- playing over scenes from the movie and in between dialogue -- comes from a homily delivered to Catholic high school students attending a school Mass in the beginning of the movie.
There are more than two dozen Vatican museums full of new and old artwork representing centuries of cultures and faiths from all over the world. And every year, nearly 6 million people view the art, architecture and ethno-anthropology, from small, fragile pieces to the larger-than-life frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Art historians say the works are a testament to God’s creation and tools for evangelization.
Modern society — largely defined by capitalism and consumerism, burgeoning technology, religious-like allegiance to nation and the rise in secularism — has its roots in the Protestant Reformation, says historian Brad S. Gregory. And both are intertwined much more than a lot of people think, he said.