VATICAN CITY – It may not have been his kind of "football," and he may not have much use for his new helmet, but Pope Francis welcomed a group of NFL veterans and told them their sport has "virtues."

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 2 (Year A) 2 Kings 4:8-12a, 14-16; Psalm 89; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42

The Bible is a book of familiar themes that find their way into many different stories.

The priests of the Diocese of Hamilton gathered recently for the Mass of Christian Burial for one of our priests, Fr. Philip Sherlock.

VATICAN CITY – Just two years after being hired to help with the Vatican's efforts in finance reform, Libero Milone – the Vatican's first independent auditor who answered only to the Pope – handed a request for his resignation to Pope Francis.

LIMA, Peru – The Holy See Press Office announced Monday that Pope Francis will travel to Chile from January 15 to 18 and Peru from January 18 to 21, 2018.

ROME – The Eucharist is a tangible reminder of God's love, and receiving Communion is a call to work to build the body of Christ by loving others and shunning all that sows division within a community, Pope Francis said.

VATICAN CITY – The health of the Catholic Church can be measured in many ways, and the Vatican has a special office just for that purpose.

MENLO PARK, Calif. – Tara Clemens was an Anchorage, Alaska, attorney, and an evangelical Christian who joined the Catholic Church during her last months of law school.

VATICAN CITY – The bishops' ad limina visits under Pope Francis has been a little different than under past pontiffs: there are no more speech exchanges and one additional meeting has been added to the schedule.

NORCIA, Italy – It was God and beer sales that helped sustain the Benedictine monks of Norcia, and it is God and beer sales that will help them rebuild.