PARIS – The president of the French bishops' conference wrote French President Francois Hollande to express his worries about fast-tracked legislation that would extend illegal interference on abortions to websites. Archbishop Georges Pontier of Marseille, president, said the bishops think the legislation questions the very foundations of liberties in France, and he urged Hollande to not allow the bill's passage.

Fundamental freedoms are threatened by a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario policy that would force doctors to provide an “effective referral” for services such as abortion and assisted suicide even if they believe it to be medically and morally wrong, former Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth told about 30 protesters gathered in front of Queen's Park on Nov. 30.

WASHINGTON – When the Democratic Party makes its decisions about leadership at the end of the month, the House Minority Leader will be a self-proclaimed “pro-choice Catholic.”

ROME – President-elect Donald Trump will uphold Christian values, a prominent U.S. cardinal has said.

WASHINGTON – The Diocese of Amarillo, Texas, said in a statement it is investigating the incident of a pro-life priest who placed "the body of an aborted fetus" on an altar and broadcast it on Facebook Live to get people to vote for Republican Donald J. Trump, causing "the desecration of the altar."

WASHINGTON – In the final presidential debate Oct. 19, Republican Donald Trump used his most explicit language to date to denounce late-term abortions.

OTTAWA —A private member’s bill aimed at protecting pregnant women against violence went down to defeat in the House of Commons Oct. 19 by a 209-76 vote.

WARSAW, Poland – Poland's Catholic Church has reiterated support for stricter pro-life controls, after parliamentarians voted down a law that would have sent aborting mothers to jail.

MEXICO CITY – Pope Francis' endorsement of pro-family marches made headlines in Mexico, taking by surprise people who saw his speeches in the country in February as being critical of a conservative Mexican Church hierarchy.

VATICAN CITY – The sacredness of human life is so absolute that performing or helping procure an abortion or attempting suicide is an obstacle to ordination as a Catholic priest, even if the man was not Catholic at the time the events occurred, said a new Vatican ruling.

VANCOUVER – The team at Rachel’s Vineyard sees forgiveness and healing transform hurting people every year.

SANTIAGO, Chile – On a hot, sunny spring afternoon, 100,000 Christians from all walks of life traveled downtown to celebrate life. Santiago's pedestrian street, Paseo Bulnes, was packed tight with people from all over Chile. Many of them were neatly dressed: the men in slacks and dress shirts, the women in dresses looking as if they were going to church.

VATICAN CITY – Love for those society considers "useless" or even a bother led St. Teresa of Calcutta to a courageous defence of the unborn, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – With a growing number of U.S. travelers returning from abroad with the Zika virus and with several cases of Zika-related microcephaly and birth defects reported in the U.S., the disease has inflamed the abortion debate domestically.

MEXICO CITY – Lawmakers in the Mexican state of Veracruz have approved a state constitutional amendment banning abortion and "defending life from the moment of conception until natural death."