An image of 15-year-old Carlo Acutis is unveiled during his beatification ceremony at the St. Francis Basilica in Assisi, Italy, in October 2020. Gregorio Borgia/AP hide caption
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Alice Kitchen, 81, canvasses for signatures at a Costco parking lot in Kansas City, Mo. She and other abortion rights advocates are trying to collect 172,000 valid signatures by May 5 to ensure a statewide ballot measure in November on whether to enshrine abortion rights in Missouri's constitution. Dominick Williams for NPR hide caption
For many Missouri Catholics, abortion rights means choosing between faith, politics
Pope Francis remains popular among U.S. Catholics, with 75% having favorable views of him, according to a Pew Research report. But many self-identified Catholics disagree with various teachings of their church. Andrew Medichini/AP hide caption
Cardinal Angelo Becciu attends a consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, on Aug. 27, 2022. Andrew Medichini/AP hide caption
Children in traditional dress welcome Pope Francis arriving for a meeting with charity workers and for the inauguration of the House of Mercy in Ulaanbaatar, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. Andrew Medichini/AP hide caption
The Catholic Church profited from slavery — 'The 272' explains how
Pope Francis leaves at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on Wednesday. Alessandra Tarantino/AP hide caption
Hooded Filipino penitents carry pointed bamboo sticks as part of Maundy Thursday rituals to atone for sins or fulfill vows for an answered prayer on April 6, 2023 at Mandaluyong city, Philippines. Aaron Favila/AP hide caption
On Wednesday, the Maryland Attorney General's Office publicly released a redacted version of an investigative report detailing sex abuse allegations against more than 150 Catholic priests and examining the Archdiocese of Baltimore's response. Armando Franca/AP hide caption
People protest as Pope Francis meets young people and elders at Nakasuk Elementary School Square in Iqaluit, Canada, last July. The Vatican on Thursday formally repudiated the "Doctrine of Discovery." The theory is backed by 15th century papal decrees that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property laws today. Gregorio Borgia/AP hide caption
Pope Francis waves from the window of the apostolic palace during the weekly Angelus prayer on Sunday in the Vatican. Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Bystanders look on as Pope Francis travels by popemobile as he departs the airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Guerchom Ndebo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Pope Francis is in Democratic Republic of Congo, its first papal visit since 1985
Pope Francis arrives at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International airport on Sunday to board his flight to Edmonton, Canada, where he will start a six-day pastoral visit to the country. Riccardo De Luca/AP hide caption
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The conservative Catholic archbishop of San Francisco said Friday that he would no longer allow Pelosi to receive Communion because of her support for abortion rights. Jacquelyn Martin/AP hide caption
Pope Francis listens to speeches during his weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. Alessandra Tarantino/AP hide caption
Commission president Jean-Marc Sauve (left) hands copies of the report to Catholic Bishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF), during the publishing of a report by an independent commission on Tuesday in Paris. Thomas Coex/AP hide caption
Rev. Jean Eddy Desravines, 61, of Sainte-Agnes Catholic Church near Les Cayes, Haiti, celebrates Mass on Sunday. The church sanctuary was destroyed in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck earlier this month. Octavio Jones for NPR hide caption
Prosecutors say Mary Margaret Kreuper, the 79-year-old former principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, Calif., has agreed to plead guilty to stealing $835,339 from a Catholic elementary school where she was the principal — in part to fund her gambling habit. Scott Varley/MediaNews Group via Getty Images hide caption
Pope Francis speaks from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square on Sunday. Francis expressed sorrow for the treatment of Indigenous people in Canada, but did not offer an apology. Domenico Stinellis/AP hide caption
Astronomical text books in Latin are displayed at the Vatican Observatory. Sylvia Poggioli/NPR hide caption
The Vatican's Space Observatory Wants To See Stars And Faith Align
Pope Francis prepares to leave after celebrating a special Mass for the Myanmar faithful last month at the Vatican. On Tuesday, Francis issued new canon law focused on sexual abuse, fraud and the attempted ordination of women. Remo Casilli/Pool via AP hide caption
The Pope Is Toughening Church Laws On Sex Abuse, Fraud And The Ordination Of Women
The Justice Department plans to execute five people in the coming weeks. The planned executions pose a challenge to Attorney General Bill Barr's adherence to Catholic teachings, which oppose the death penalty. Star Tribune via Getty Images/Star Tribune via Getty Images hide caption
Federal Executions Pit The Trump Administration Against The Catholic Church
Archbishop of Washington Wilton D. Gregory delivers his homily at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on May 21, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Pope Francis named Gregory as a future cardinal this week. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption