Sister Virginia Muller grew up rooting for the Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, N.Y. Ministering in Baltimore, she has adopted the Orioles as her hometown heroes.

Citing concerns about pollution and continued environmental abuse, the Canadian bishops' international development agency expressed disappointment that a responsible mining bill was defeated in the House of Commons.

In a message to the world's Hindus, a leading Vatican official said interreligious dialogue should ultimately lead to wider practical cooperation in addressing "the grave and unresolved challenges of our times."

Bishops must guide their faithful to use their vote to oppose efforts to legalize abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict told bishops from Brazil.

Science is never to be feared, yet its discoveries will never be enough to answer all of the world's questions, Pope Benedict told scientists and researchers meeting at the Vatican.

Religiously mixed marriages are becoming more common among those who practise Reform Judaism but have shown a significant decline among U.S. Catholics in the past 20 years, speakers said at a recent meeting of a Catholic-Jewish dialogue group.

Greg Hall was preparing to serve as an acolyte for Mass at his parish in Houston when an associate contacted him about a "banging on the pipe."

Pope Benedict praised the millions of Catholic women in the world who inspire their husbands and children to live truly Christian lives.

Pope Benedict said the world has a responsibility to help refugees find places to live and work in safety, as part of its vocation to form "one family."

The Vatican hopes the death penalty will not be carried out against former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, 74, said the Vatican spokesman.