The “remnant of Israel” shall pasture their flocks peaceably and “shall do no wrong,” says this Sunday’s first reading. Pope Benedict XVI Saturday encouraged the church to improve its pastoral counseling to would-be spouses . . .

Jesus promises in this Sunday’s gospel that those who mourn will be comforted. Many have found comfort in services held at funeral homes. But a number of them are marketing their locations as sites for other celebrations as well . . .

In this Sunday’s second reading Saint Paul urges the Corinthians to “consider your own calling.” Senior U.S. senators, complaining that a mushrooming number of time-consuming confirmation hearings . . .

Teachers are often called upon to act as the peacemakers praised and blessed by Jesus in this Sunday’s gospel. Catholic school teachers deserve our praise . . .

This Sunday’s readings reveal a God who shows favor for those on the lower end of most social scales. While acknowledging the need to cut the federal deficit in his State of the Union address . . .

After being fired for wearing a tie honoring his recently deceased grandmother’s favorite football team to work, John Stone may fit the Beatitude’s description . . .

"The most broadly based access to the developing world is through religious people, and so it is a tragedy if they are not embraced in the overall development process."

While 41.6 of Americans have Facebook pages, only 6 percent use Twitter, and of those who do 40 percent look at their tweets rarely or not at all.