An official from Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services called the recently concluded Annapolis peace conference a “very positive first step” toward achieving peace in the Middle East. But she warned that the next year will be “very volatile,” requiring a commitment on all sides to see the process through no matter what setbacks may come.Read More

Mark Viviano jumped into a rental car outside a St. Louis airport May 28 and sped toward the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Jefferson City, 90 minutes away.Read More

VATICAN CITY – By inviting a varied group of Muslim scholars to meet with him, Pope Benedict XVI has opened the possibility for a higher-level dialogue between Catholic and Muslim leaders, the Vatican newspaper said.Read More

LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – The greatest challenge faced by Catholic health care workers is growing secularism, said Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez.Read More

Morgan State University senior Cina Morris thinks her mother overextends herself with her never-ending volunteer projects. But St. Francis Xavier, Baltimore, parishioner Delease Ryce says it’s a labor of love that brings her too much joy to slow down.Read More

CAIRO – Orthodox Pope Shenouda III declared three days of mourning, fasting and prayer for victims of peaceful protests that turned violent, and church and government leaders called for Egypt to reaffirm its commitment to religious freedom.Read More

VATICAN CITY – In a liturgy that emphasized the church’s cultural diversity and its unity of mission, Pope Benedict XVI created 23 new cardinals from 14 countries.Read More

Aimee Petrides is one of 15 women in her extended family to attend the Institute of Notre Dame. Adding to that legacy, Petrides has left her own imprint on the cherished Baltimore high school for young women.Read More