VATICAN CITY – Meeting a pilgrimage of Catholics and Lutherans from Germany, Pope Francis said he does not like "the contradiction of those who want to defend Christianity in the West, and, on the other hand, are against refugees and other religions."

TORONTO – When Elizabeth Carrillo was five, she arrived in Canada with her mother, at the time pregnant with her son Brian. The FCJ Refugee Centre literally became the family’s home.

ROME – In a narrow alley a few miles from the center of Rome, around 250 migrants gather at sunset.

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg community of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions honoured Sr. Aileen Gleason for seven decades of a life of service to others and for changing the lives of thousands of refugees.

VATICAN CITY – While national concerns about an influx of migrants and refugees may be legitimate, no country should lose sight of the fact that the influx is made up of real people whose lives are in danger, a Vatican official told a U.N. meeting.

Pope Francis met with refugees and leaders of religious faiths including Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus who joined him for a day of prayer for peace in Assisi, home of his namesake, the 12th-century friar St. Francis.

UNITED NATIONS – Religious organizations and local faith communities are longtime key providers of efficient, effective, compassionate aid to migrants and refugees, speakers said at a U.N. program Sept 19.

IRBIL, Iraq – The upcoming military offensive to root out Islamic State militants from Mosul and surrounding villages will be a "huge challenge," the United Nations says, as it expects about 1.5 million people to flee the warfare in a short amount of time.

As Canada launches another overhaul of immigration policy, the Church has an interest in maintaining open doors, whether it’s to refugees, regular immigrants or temporary foreign workers.

OTTAWA – The head of the Toronto archdiocese’s refugee office made an impassioned plea July 18 for Canada to to protect Yazidis and other vulnerable religious minorities.

AL-QAA, Lebanon – Boulos al-Ahmar had just driven the ambulance to the scene of the explosion when more bombs detonated, killing him. When Majed Wehbe heard the first explosions near his home, he ran to the scene to help, only to arrive in time for the next set of explosions. 

TIJUANA, Mexico – The border city of Tijuana is filled with dreams and nightmares, happy endings and tragic beginnings, broken families and shattered promises. Mostly, though, it is filled with waiting. People waiting to leave for the United States, people waiting to return to their families, people waiting for their families to return to them.

TORONTO – It’s only a number, but 65.3 million for Martin Mark is a heart-breaking number.

VATICAN CITY – Assist and accompany refugees while working to build peace in the world, Pope Francis urged on the eve of World Refugee Day.

WASHINGTON – "There is a right to seek a better place for yourself and your children, but there is also a right to stay where you are," said Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick at a conference in Washington May 18.