Pope Francis has named Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of Burlington, Vt., to head the Diocese of Rochester, N.Y. He succeeds Bishop Matthew H. Clark, who retired in September 2012.

The prayers of two religious sisters born in the Archdiocese of Omaha were key elements of the Vatican-approved miracle that led the way to the upcoming beatification of their order’s foundress, Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration.

A mortar round hit the apostolic nunciature in the Syrian capital, causing limited damage to the building and no casualties because of the early hour of the strike, said the Vatican ambassador to Syria.

Being on God’s “guest list” is not enough for salvation; a person must respond to the offer of faith and actively participate in the life of the church, Pope Francis said.

Health care professionals are “the quiet missionaries of the culture of life,” said Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, celebrant of the White Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

A year after the Catholic Synod of Bishops met in Rome to reflect on the “new evangelization,” the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches affirmed the same topic.

Although preparations for the 2014 extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will include an assessment of Catholics’ attitudes toward relevant church teachings, the synod’s work will be based on Catholic doctrine and not on current public opinion, officials said.

No one-size-fits-all solution exists to end food insecurity around the globe, but world leaders must act beyond voicing their commitment to seeking food security for all, the Vatican nuncio told a U.N. gathering.

Often, people look at church congregations and meetings and wonder, “Where are the youth?” But at the World Council of Churches 10th Assembly in Busan, young people are everywhere.

God never ceases to forgive, offering even the disobedient the chance for eternal life, Pope Francis said.