Heidi Schlumpf

South Bend, Indiana -- Presenters at the "Cultures of Formation" conference called for the church to be countercultural in response to contemporary attitudes toward technology, sexuality and what one speaker called the "uncritical valorization of diversity."

Morning Briefing: St. Romero, the pope's popularity and a pre-synod gathering on youth and young adults

The voices of student survivors of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida, "are a wake-up call that should have been heard years ago," Chicago archbishop says at Illinois state capital as he calls for action on gun legislation 

Morning Briefing: College of Cardinals on clergy sexual abuse, Cardinal Cupich on gun violence and Catholic protesters on Dreamers—and four female columnists!

Morning Briefing: Billy Graham dies; the church helps hungry Venezuelans; defending the Pope Francis’ China policy; and a lesbian couple sues the bishops

Morning Briefing: Ash Wednesday/Valentine's Day/Winter Olympics edition. Without a dispensation from fasting, Catholics will have to move their romantic dinner plans to another day. 

This year's speakers addressed immigration, race and the environment. Attendees met with legislators on Capital Hill to discuss immigration, domestic social safety net programs and international development aid. 

Morning Briefing: Immigration, resistance and race

Dreamers, priests, religious women, faith organization workers and some attendees from the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering joined in a prayer service to support Dreamers.

Catholics and racism -- "Why does it appear that the church in America has been incapable of taking decisive action and incapable of enunciating clear-cut principles regarding racism?" asked Bishop George Murry of Youngstown, Ohio.

WASHINGTON -- Immigration was a key theme of the first day of the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, which brought together more than 500 Catholics who work in social justice ministries. The event runs from Saturday Feb. 4 through Tuesday, Feb. 6, and concludes with an advocacy visit to Capitol Hill.

Chicago -- "Let us take up the task before us in a way that does not confuse firmness and resolve with a lack of respect for others in the debate," he said at a public talk Feb. 1 at Holy Name Cathedral.

Morning Briefing: State of the Union reaction, cover-up investigation in Chile and history of "family values" politics

Naming Jesuit Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin a doctor of the church — or at least removing the "warning" from his writings — would give the Jesuit scientist and philosopher more legitimacy in the church, his supporters say. 

Catholic and other religious organizations are opposing a proposal by the Department of Justice to add a question about citizenship to the U.S. Census' 2020 short-form survey. 

Juan Carlos Cruz is still speaking out about  abuse he suffered from a Chilean priest — and about cover-up by church leaders there, despite the pope's accusations that abuse survivors are guilty of "calumny."

Catholics and Catholic reform groups were among the hundreds of thousands who turned out on the streets throughout the nation for the second annual Women's March.

Morning Briefing: Pope in Chile, excommunications and another survey of Catholic women

Four Catholic bishops and 16 other conservative religious leaders have issued an "open letter" about transgender issues, firing a shot in what has become the next major culture war issue after same-sex marriage.

NCR Today: DACA deferred, baby cuddling and Confessions of a Funeral Director