VATICAN CITY – The superiors of the four main branches of the Franciscan friars formally asked Pope Francis for permission to allow their communities to elect brothers to positions of leadership in their communities.

JERUSALEM - Pope Francis spent the last morning of his three-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land meeting with Muslims and Jews and calling for closer relations among the three major monotheistic religions as the basis for peace in the region.

TORONTO - In the Christian folk music scene, many know Joe Zambon for his distinctive beard as much as they know him for his music. For his latest album, his fifth, Zambon took his beard and his music back home to record with his brother.