Catholic Relief Services takes college students to Capitol Hill to teach them how to be advocates for those in need and to bring faith into the political and legislative process:

Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, focusing on the door of salvation and the meaning of our lives (via Vatican Radio): To go along this path, one must pass through a door. But where is the door?  What is it like?  Who is the door?  Jesus himself is the door… Read More Pope Francis: Life is Not a Video Game or Soap Opera

via Washington Post: The Justice Department plans to end its use of private prisons after officials concluded the facilities are both less safe and less effective at providing correctional services than those run by the government. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates announced the decision on Thursday in a memo that instructs officials to either decline to… Read More Justice Department Will Stop Use of Private Prisons

Millennial writer Christopher White has a new article at Crux. He writes: Later this month, on August 24th, the state of Texas is slated to execute Jeffrey Lee Wood- despite the fact that he has never killed anyone. In fact, according to many accounts, Wood was not even aware that the man’s death for which… Read More Controversial Execution Looming in Texas

Millennial writer Nichole Flores was recently interviewed by UVA Today: Q. What can history tell us about the role of female deacons? A. Female deacons are mentioned a few times in the Bible. A prominent reference is Romans 16:1, when Paul writes, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in… Read More Nichole Flores on Pope Francis’ Commission on Female Deacons

The use of chemical weapons continues in Syria, as the international norm against their use crumbles through a lack of enforcement: For the third time in just two weeks, chemical weapons were reportedly used against civilians in northern Syria. The United Nations is investigating the most recent case, which came Wednesday when barrel bombs thought… Read More More Chemical Attacks in Syria Highlight Costs of Inaction

Via Vatican Radio: Pope Francis visited a refugee centre in Rome housing women rescued from prostitution as part of his ‘Friday of Mercy’ gestures during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. The home is run by the Pope John the 23rd community. During his visit, Pope Francis met 20 women rescued from the sex trade who… Read More Pope Francis Visits 20 Women Rescued from Forced Prostitution