The pope is under intense pressure to enact concrete measures to ensure accountability for church officials who ignored or covered up sexual abuse by clergy.
After days of silence and a barrage of criticism for failing to address the most recent priest sex abuse scandal, the Vatican speaks: "The Holy See condemns unequivocally the sexual abuse of minors."
Accused predators have been named. Confidentiality agreements with abuse survivors have been waived. And soon Pennsylvania courts will release a redacted report on more than 300 "predator priests."
It's a shift for the church, which used to consider the death penalty an "acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good" in response to certain crimes.
Philip Wilson was convicted in May for failing to report child sex abuse by a priest in the 1970s. He had stepped aside from his role but hadn't formally resigned, saying he was planning to appeal.
A nun and a worker at a Missionaries of Charity shelter were arrested last week for allegedly selling four infants. India has mandated the investigation of all such facilities run by the order.
Surveys by Irish broadcaster RTE and The Irish Times indicate that nearly 70 percent of voters want to do away with a constitutional amendment that recognizes the "right to life of the unborn."
Sister Patricia Fox has been given 30 days to get out of the country after she apparently joined protest rallies against controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
Pope Francis was stung by a sexual abuse scandal in Chile, where the Church is losing sway and people are embracing social norms opposed by the Vatican.