VATICAN CITY – At every canonization ceremony, people connected to the new saint carry to the altar a relic – often a bone shard from the new saint's body. The relic presented at the Mass for St. Teresa of Calcutta was a few drops of her blood.

CALCUTTA, India – A favourite motto of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was: “Do small things with great love.”

VATICAN CITY – Be cautious about scientific data that offer to be the sole basis and single explanation for the differences between men and women, the Vatican newspaper said.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – A church dedicated to carrying out acts of mercy can help heal countries in the Americas torn by war, economic struggles and cultural and political divisions, Quebec Cardinal Gerald Lacroix said at the conclusion of a regional gathering of church leaders in Colombia.

MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic bishop in the southern Philippines is backing a military campaign against Abu Sayyaf militants, who claim to have links with the Islamic State group.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A California judge ruled Aug. 26 that he will not put the state's new assisted-suicide law on hold while a group of doctors are challenging it, but he also ruled that their challenge could continue.

BAGHDAD – Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad called for a united and strong stance – by Muslims and non-Muslims alike – to stop the spread of the "cancer" of Islamic State and other terrorist groups.

ACCRA, Ghana – Ghana's church leaders have committed to continue raising public awareness about land-grabbing, in hopes of protecting and restoring the livelihoods of rural people, protecting the environment and saving communities from unnecessary strife.

WASHINGTON – Is there a Catholic vote? Well, yes. Kind of.

DAMASCUS, Syria – Christian patriarchs residing in Damascus urged the international community to "stop the siege of the Syrian people" and to lift international sanctions, which they say are deepening the suffering.