Dennis Girard hopes the Marian Devotional Movement’s prayerful Papal Visit Pilgrim Statue Procession — and a 54-day Novena launched May 31 —  will bless Pope Francis’ mission of healing and reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

When St. Francis of Assisi pastor Fr. Jimmy Zammit looks at Vincenzo Pietropaolo’s photographs he sees the faith of his community.

VATICAN CITY - The bishop of a southern Italian diocese has issued new directives aimed at keeping the mafia out of this year's Easter processions.

VATICAN CITY - A bishop in Calabria has ordered an end to all religious processions in his diocese after 30 men carrying a large statue of Mary and hundreds of people accompanying the statue paused and bowed in front of the house of a presumed mafia boss.

ROME - Only two weeks after Pope Francis announced he was excommunicating the Mafia, a religious procession in southern Italy has provoked uproar after paying homage to a convicted mobster.