Belief
Living on Earth
September 04, 2016
Pope Francis' environmental encyclical, Laudato Si, inspired a global conversation about the moral dimensions of climate change. Even before this, however, some lesser-known religious leaders, like Father Albert Fritsch, had been trying to bring this message to their parishioners and the world.
Belief
Pope Francis says religious freedom trumps the right to free speech
PRI's The World
January 15, 2015
Pope Francis told reporters today that anyone who insulted his mother could expect a punch. He was joking, but he was also making a serious point rooted in Catholic tradition.
Justice
The Vatican is 'all words, no action' on addressing child sex abuse
PRI's The World
March 16, 2017
Marie Collins was sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest in Ireland. In 2014, she joined the Vatican's commission for the protection of minors, hoping to help make changes. Now, she has resigned in frustration.
Health
Catholic leaders battle against free birth control in the Philippines
The GroundTruth Project
January 22, 2015
Half of all pregnancies in the predominantly Catholic Philippines are unintended. That may change as the country begins to roll out its new reproductive health law, but the Catholic Church — and even the pope — are still fighting the push for free contraception.
Lifestyle & Belief
Why Pope Francis is 'throwing down a gauntlet' on environmental destruction
Living on Earth
July 25, 2014
Pope Francis has already called attention to poverty and inequality, and he's now calling Catholics to pay more notice to the environment. In doing so, he could change not only policy but the way that people view sin and responsibility.
Belief
Pope Francis was a huge story in 2014, but a veteran Vatican reporter says the media got a lot wrong
PRI's The World
December 30, 2014
John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.
Global Scan
How the Hunger Games salute is inspiring Thai protesters
June 03, 2014
The military coup in Thailand hasn't been popular. Protests are frequent, and now they're using a popular symbol from the movie The Hunger Games, a three-finger salute, to signal their displeasure. That story and more in today's Global Scan.
Environment
Pope Francis is making waves on the issue of global climate change
PRI's The World
May 01, 2015
Updated
Advocates for more aggressive action on climate change are counting Pope Francis as a powerful new ally. But the head of the Roman Catholic Church is ruffling some feathers even before coming out with a highly anticipated Catholic teaching on environmental issues.
Global Scan
Thinking of ordering the Chicken Apple Sauce Panini at a Chinese Starbucks? Think again
July 25, 2014
Items in some western, fast-food chains are disappearing from the menu in China. Why? They potentially contain meat that was beyond its expiration date. Meanwhile a US Congressman gets confused over the nationality of two US government employees, and a survivor of a Taiwanese plane crash describes her ordeal — in today's Global Scan.
Environment
Pope Francis sounds the alarm on the environment and he wants everyone to listen
PRI's The World
June 18, 2015
“Cultural revolution” and “radical change” are terms you might not expect to come out of the Vatican. But that’s language Pope Francis is using to talk about what he says is need to save planet earth and all of humanity along with it.
Belief
As the Pope's US visit nears, these fourth-graders prep their questions
PRI's The World
August 26, 2015
Visit the school chosen to show the Pope how Catholic education is still thriving — or at least trying to — despite the changes facing the Church.