Catholic Church

Political and religious leaders from across Louisiana are paying tribute to Pope Francis who died Easter Monday at the age of 88.

In recent years, Catholic bishops have spent millions on campaigns to defeat abortion rights measures at the ballot box. This year, they're taking a dramatically different approach.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has filed for bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 reorganization was filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern...

Despite detractors within the church, Pope Francis' emphasis on humility and mercy has won him strong support worldwide. He has addressed thorny issues such as Vatican finances and clerical sex abuse.

Earlier this week an interim summary of the synod on family issues included conciliatory language on gays and on the taking of holy communion for divorced church members.

Pope Francis hasn't ruled out changing church doctrine that bars divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving Holy Communion. There are fierce opponents, while others favor simplifying annulment.

Bishops are meeting with Pope Francis these next two weeks for an extraordinary conference to debate family matters – including hot-button issues like artificial contraception and gay civil unions.

Catholic schools are requiring teachers to sign morality clauses, which have gotten some educators fired for marrying same-sex partners.

Following two doctrinally conservative leaders, Pope Francis' pastoral approach in his first year has given the Catholic Church a new glow. But it's still unclear where he intends to take the church.

The choices reflect the pope's belief that the church leadership should resemble the changing makeup of its members. New cardinals come from the Philippines, Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast and Haiti.