OTTAWA - Canada’s Catholic bishops and religious men and women have condemned the clerical abuse of women religious in the wake of a French documentary that was aired on television in Quebec.

The following is an edited version of the Easter message from Bishop Lionel Gendron, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops:

MONTREAL - In a letter addressed to the Canadian bishops and the leaders of Development and Peace, prominent leaders of the Catholic Church in the Philippines and civil organizations criticized a moratorium on at least four Philippine associations suspected of "violating the social teachings of the Church."

Development and Peace is assuring donors a review of the practices of 52 partner agencies will end soon while two archbishops are going the extra mile to support the Catholic development agency.

The status of Development and Peace as a Catholic charity in good standing hangs in limbo with no end in sight to a year-old review of some of the agency’s partnership agreements.

OTTAWA – After a 15-year hiatus, an evangelization conference organized by Canada’s bishops will return in April and is already sold out.

OTTAWA – The Canadian bishop who participated in the Vatican abuse summit believes the unprecedented gathering of Church leaders is a “sign of hope” that the Church is finally coming to grips with the worldwide problem of sexual crimes against minors.

The priest hand-picked by Pope Francis to chair the Feb. 21-24 summit on clerical sexual abuse at the Vatican has thrust the Canadian model for protecting minors into the spotlight as Church leaders from around the world prepare for the unprecedented meeting.

Twenty-two religious orders have signed a letter questioning the wisdom of withholding funds from Development and Peace and expressing dismay over the extended investigation into 52 of the organization’s 180 partners around the world.

The message to Canadian pilgrims at World Youth Day was clear: Get on social media and share the Good News.

VATICAN – Only about half of the national bishops' conferences in the world have adopted complete, Vatican-approved guidelines for handling accusations of clerical sexual abuse and promoting child protection, said the Jesuit named to moderate the Vatican's February summit on abuse.

OTTAWA – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is welcoming the revisions to the Canada Summer Jobs application, but not without reservations.

JERUSALEM – Visiting with Christian communities in northern Israel and the northern Palestinian Territories has helped bishops participating in the annual Holy Land Coordination see "the great need" to promote an understanding between Israelis and Palestinians, said Bishop Noel Treanor of Down and Connor, Ireland.

OTTAWA – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is welcoming the revisions to the Canada Summer Jobs application.

The following is the Christmas message released by Bishop Lionel Gendron, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil and president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.