LANCASTER, England - A small group of Catholics has accused Pope Francis of heresy and has written to the world's bishops asking them to "take the steps necessary to deal with the grave situation of a heretical pope."

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Fears of suicide bomb attacks kept many Christians and Muslims away from churches and mosques for Sunday Mass and Friday prayers a week after the Easter bombings.

WASHINGTON - The perfect pitch Dominican Sr. Mary Jo Sobieck threw prior to a Chicago White Sox game last summer not only went viral but is still out of the park.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis expressed "sadness and pain" after news broke of multiple bombs that exploded in several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, killing at least 207 people and wounding hundreds in the capital city of Colombo and the neighbouring cities of Negombo and Batticaloa.

LIMA, Peru - The president of Peru's conference of bishops called for calm after two-time former Peruvian President Alan Garcia died April 17 after shooting himself in the head as authorities prepared to arrest him.

PARIS - A hero emerging from the Notre Dame Cathedral fire April 15 is Father Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade, who is credited with saving a reliquary containing the crown of thorns and the Blessed Sacrament from the burning cathedral.

PARIS - Church leaders joined government officials in saying they expect that Notre Dame Cathedral's grandeur will be restored as firefighters extinguished the last flames of a fast-moving blaze that seriously damaged much of the iconic structure.

Updated 04/15/2019

PARIS - A major blaze engulfed the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral April 15, sending pillars of flame and billowing smoke over the center of the French capital.

ROME - Drawing attention to the special needs of people with Alzheimer's disease, Pope Francis made an afternoon visit to a community of group homes designed to keep residents active and living as normal a life as possible.