VATICAN CITY -- Like the apostles who brought spiritual and physical healing to those in need, Christians are called to tend to the wounds of the suffering and the downtrodden, Pope Francis said.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Catholic leaders canceled Sunday Masses as Sri Lanka’s churches remained closed for a second week for fear of new terrorist attacks after the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people.

Young people rediscovering sacred music, learning the beauty of the pipe organ and young women veiling for Mass.

A third of Canada’s Christian architecture, some 9,000 churches, will close in the next 10 years, according to the National Trust for Canada.

MONTREAL – Father Claude Grou, the rector of St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal who was stabbed during a Mass March 22, has been released from the hospital.

In Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, the church of Hallgrímur (Hallgrímskirkja) towers above the city. It is the tallest church in Iceland, rising almost 75 metres. Locals boast that you can see its spire from almost anywhere in the city — like a compass of sorts.

VATICAN – While European bishops discuss how to bring young people back to the Church at the 2018 Synod of Bishops, one bishop from Cameroon said that he has the opposite problem.

VATICAN – To strengthen and support young people in the faith, members of the Synod of Bishops will need to listen to their real-life stories, interpret what they hear in the light of the Gospel and make decisions that will lead to an authentic renewal of the Catholic Church, said Brazilian Cardinal Sergio da Rocha.

VANCOUVER – Catholics in the Diocese of Whitehorse, Yukon, sought assistance after a devastating wildfire in Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, destroyed a mission church, rectory and homes.

VATICAN – For its debut at the "Biennale di Venezia" International Architecture Exhibition, the Vatican commissioned 10 renowned architects from around the world to turn a small wooded plot on an island in the Venetian lagoon into a spiritual-artistic pilgrimage of chapels.

A celebration planned by the Canadian Goan Christian Group for St. Joseph’s parish in Mississauga on Oct. 14 will highlight the role that immigrants play in keeping the Church in Canada alive and vibrant.

ROME – One of the two women who died when an earthquake struck the Italian island of Ischia was killed by falling debris from a 19th-century church. The other died in her home, which was destroyed by the quake Aug. 21.

CHICAGO – Its members gather to comfort and encourage one another. They check in on the sick and struggling. They wish each other a happy birthday.

SHANGQIU – Local authorities in China’s Henan province reportedly destroyed a Christian church building last month, beating parishioners who tried to stop the demolition and detaining 40, the group China Aid says.

VATICAN CITY – The more women are involved in and contribute to communities, politics, economics and the church, the more positive changes will come about, Pope Francis said.