VATICAN CITY - The first task of the Church “is not to hand down condemnations or anathemas, but to proclaim the mercy of God,” Pope Francis said in a blunt address to delegates at the Synod of Bishops on the Family.

Cold waters, an overnight storm and countless jelly fish were not enough to slow down swimmer Marilyn Korzekwa during her historic three-province Atlantic Ocean swim to raise funds for the Good Shepherd in Hamilton, Ont.

KATHMANDU, Nepal - Like thousands of Nepalese homeowners, Sobha Laksmi Maharjan lost her residence in the devastating earthquake that rocked Nepal April 25. But she remains busy and cheerful at work despite the hardship.

Swimming is fun. So why not do it 22 to 26 hours in 16-to-20-degree water with jellyfish, possible high winds and ocean tides pulling you in various directions? Not every 58-year-old psychiatrist is crazy enough to try it.

PICKERING, ONT. - Angela Kirby believes in living life to its fullest and won’t let the challenges of multiple sclerosis get in her way. Diagnosed with MS at the age of 50, she never felt deterred from hiking up mountains and travelling the world.

VATICAN CITY - In word and deed, Pope Francis will take his vision of a Catholic's approach to family life, parish life, charity, economics, immigration and good governance to Cuba and the United States during a Sept. 19-27 visit.

Natural disasters around the world combined with a larger fund-raising campaign in the archdiocese tapping into the generosity of Toronto Catholics are making for one of the most difficult years in ShareLife’s history.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - With donations to this year’s ShareLife campaign down, there is a ray of fundraising hope coming from Catholic schools.

VATICAN CITY - The Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican bank, showed a large jump in profits in 2014 as it continued to winnow its accounts.

TORONTO - When it came to supporting the work of his brothers and sisters in Christ, the late Joseph Barnicke could be counted on to put his money where their mouths were.

Romeo Maione was all talk but it was glorious talk, talk that made things happen. Mr. Maione used every podium and platform he could find to make the Church real and alive in the world.

Barbara Turnbull, who died last week at age 50, impacted thousands through her charitable work, her writing, her advocacy for the disabled and quite simply by her indomitable spirit.

VATICAN CITY - Catholic charities around the world have no doubt about the reality of a "Francis effect" on their work.
Because of the ongoing global economic crisis, most of the 164 national Catholic charities that form the Caritas Internationalis confederation report no significant increase in donations. However, the secretary-general of the Vatican-based network says Pope Francis has had a huge impact on their programs and priorities, on the number of volunteers and, especially, on their sharing.

TORONTO - Blessed Sacrament, the school and parish, pulled together May 1 for a barbecue to mark the joint success in raising funds for the Archdiocese of Toronto’s Family of Faith campaign.

KATHMANDU, Nepal - Truckloads of relief material organized by church charities began moving across Nepal a week after the Himalayan nation was rocked by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake April 25.