As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on April 28 that could wind up legalizing gay marriage nationwide, dozens of Christian leaders have issued a call to civil authorities to preserve “the unique meaning of marriage in the law” — but also to “protect the rights of those with differing views of marriage.”

If you ever visit Tiananmen Square in Beijing on a Sunday and decide you would like to attend Mass at Our Lady of China, you will have to catch Line Two from the Qianmen subway station just south of the square and travel six stations to Dongzhimen. Walk about five minutes west from Dongzhimen and you will find yourself at the front gate of the Canadian Embassy. Inside the embassy on Sundays expatriates from Africa, Europe, Canada and elsewhere gather to form their own parish.

A young Desmond Devoy was on holiday in British Columbia in 2000 when a Catholic news story fell into his lap. Unable to resist the temptation, the budding writer phoned back to Toronto to report his story to The Catholic Register.

Growing up, The Catholic Register was always a great teaching tool about my faith. Though it contained stories from an international, national and local perspective, it usually included pieces written by scholars, priests or literary faithful sharing their expertise.

I would never have considered it a place that would draw young people.

TORONTO - Franck Waille still has the posture of a dancer. When he stands, his back is straight, his shoulders are squared and his feet are pointed out — a more relaxed version of ballet’s first position.

HAVANA - It's a scene all too familiar in the U.S., but not one you'd expect in Cuba: a group of schoolgirls cupping their cellphones with their hands, protecting them from the glare of the tropical sun. Most are looking at pictures or listening to music downloaded on the phone's memory card. Few can access the Internet using their phones.

The biblical accounts of Jesus’ passion and death focus very much on His trial, describing it in length and in detail.

The day the Supreme Court released its decision in the case involving Montreal’s Loyola High School, I thought it was merely more judicial zaniness on offer.

TORONTO - Fifteen hundred students at St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School cheered excitedly during a 2013 assembly to welcome students back to school after a long summer vacation.

NEW YORK - St. Patrick’s Day is associated as much with Roman Catholicism as it is with Irish-Americans, but this year some of the faithful aren’t happy with the inclusion of gays and lesbians marching under their own banner for the first time in parades in Boston and New York.

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - The Catholic Church needs men to fully commit to their faith, and men have all they need from God "to be a force" for the church, a former major league baseball player told a men's conference in Franklin.

TORONTO - Having an opportunity to expose Catholic students to the combinination of taekwondo and faith leaves Adam Tomlinson less concerned about securing a spot on Team Canada for this summer’s Pan Am Games.

Some are searching, some have found and some are sharing God’s love in a story that follows the apparently separate lives of a dozen people until they collide — literally — and their eyes are opened to the power of Christ’s cross.

Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 22 (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33)

VATICAN CITY - On International Women's Day, Pope Francis thanked women, "who in thousands of ways, witness to the Gospel and work in the church."