Knights of Malta members petition Pope for ‘reasonable explanation’ for meddling with Order

Grassroots members of the Knights of Malta are directly petitioning Pope Francis as a crucial vote for a new leader looms on Saturday.

We need to 'shatter' the anonymity of sex purchasers, lawmakers say

The U.S. government needs to be continually equipped to fight the scourge of human trafficking in new and effective ways, said members of Congress introducing an anti-trafficking bill on Thursday.

Keep Watch for These 2 Dangerous Chains on Your Child's Heart

When I was a kid, my Christian grade school teacher had the most dazzling sticker sheet of gold stars in her desk drawer. I really wanted those stars—the big gold stars.

This education program was really into publicizing each student's level of achievement. Our individual student "star charts" were displayed in plain view for any passerby. If you got a B or above on a test, you would get a small star on your chart next to that subject. If you scored 100 percent on a test, you'd get a big, beautiful gold star. Anything less, you got an understated green dot on your chart, which meant, "Way to pass, but don't get too excited about your bald little dot."

Pope donates rent for beach serving people with disabilities

Pope Francis has donated the rent for a private Italian beach that allows disabled people to enjoy the shore, the charity that manages the project announced this week.

The group Work of Love, a Catholic non-profit, has rented part of the Little Madonna beach located near Rome since 2012 in an effort to give disabled people better access to the beach. It is equipped with ramps, walkways and specialized beach chairs and water-friendly wheelchairs, and includes amenities such as a snack bar, changing rooms, and showers.

Beware of These 9 Common Toxins That Subtly Destroy Your Body

You probably know that hormones play a vital role in regulating your physiology and promoting good health. But are you aware of the onslaught of synthetic chemicals in the modern environment that threaten the delicate balance of hormones in your body?

What Are Hormones?

Pastor's Son Killed in Freak Hammer Accident

A freshman at Wheaton College in Illinois was killed in a freak hammer-throwing accident while volunteering at a track meet.

Ethan Roser, a 19-year-old transfer to Billy Graham's alma mater, was volunteering at a Wheaton College track and field competition when he was struck by a hammer during the hammer throw event.

The "hammer" in hammer throw is a metal ball attached to a grip by a steel wire. Competitors spin around several times before releasing, or "throwing," it, a local TV station reports.

"We are deeply grieved, but, because of our faith in Christ, not without hope," the Christian college said in a statement.

"We know he's with Jesus," his father, the Rev. Mark Roser, said. "And the fact that he's in paradise is a great source of comfort to us."

Ethan was part of a Young Life club through his high school.

"Ethan Roser was one of our heroes. We LOVED how much Ethan cared for his Mason [Ohio] friends to learn more about the life of Jesus Christ," the club posted to Twitter after his death.

Little Girl Flies Out of Church Bus Before Dropping to the Ground

A little girl flew out of a church vehicle, holding onto the handle of the back door until she dropped to the roadway, all while the vehicle continued progressing down the road.

A trained emergency technician was following the vehicle and watched the heart-stopping situation unfold.

"My heart sank," Ryan Ciampoli, the medical technician, told CNN. "That's the first time I've ever seen it in my life, in person. It didn't look real. I had to do a double-take."

The bus driver kept going until the other children on board screamed at him to stop. He will not face charges.

While emergency workers are trained to not touch victims, Ciampoli had to remove her from the roadway.

"It was unbelievable. Once I picked her up and put her in my arms, it was heartbreaking. She just had this horrified look on her face," he said.

The whole incident is recorded on Ciampoli's dash cam.

Cardinal Sarah: Church is facing ‘grave risk’ of schism over morality

Cardinal Robert Sarah warned that the Church’s unity is being threatened by influential leaders within the Church who “insist” that national churches have the “capacity to decide for themselves” on doctrinal and moral matters.

“Without a common faith, the Church is threatened by confusion and then, progressively, she can slide into dispersion and schism,” he said.

Christians are the most widely targeted religious group in the world

When it comes to religious persecution, Christians are the most widely targeted community, said a new report released last week.

But despite oppression and threat of violence, the faithful “should not be afraid,” said a Pakistani archbishop.

They call themselves 'nuns' but they're nothing to do with the Church - they're harvesting cannabis...

The Sisters of the Valley, California's self-ordained "weed nuns," are on a mission to heal and empower women with their cannabis products.

Based near the town of Merced in the Central Valley, which produces over half of the fruit, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States, the Sisters of the Valley grow and harvest their own cannabis plants.

ISIS claims responsibility for Egypt church bombings killing 36, injuring 100; Church leaders condemn attacks

At least 36 people have been killed and over 100 injured in two bombings at Coptic churches in Egypt, during Palm Sunday services. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and Church leaders have publicly mourned the loss of life.

The first bombing, in Tanta, a Nile Delta city less than 100 kilometres outside Cairo, killed at least 25 and injured at least 78, according to Egypt's ministry of health.

This Subtle Danger Disguises Itself as Spiritual Maturity

I'm not sure when I became spiritually mature, but it happened without me noticing. I simply loved the Bible because it gave me glimpses of the Living God. As my love for God grew, so did an insatiable appetite for all 66 books of His Spirit-breathed Word.

Kicking Out the Ishmaels That Distract You From Your Prophetic Destiny

Many people today fall for Ishmaels in their walk with the Lord and they don't even realize it until it gets really complicated. You can read the story of Ishmael in Genesis 16-21, but I'll give you my abbreviated version. Basically, God told Abraham that even though he was really old, and his wife Sarah was long past her child-bearing years, they were going to have more descendants than one could count.

They couldn't understand how this was going to happen given that their physical bodies were too old to bear children. So Sarah hatched what she thought was a well-thought-out plan. She was just going to help God along with this prophetic destiny and make it happen herself. In that time period, it was a semi-common practice to give one's maid to one's husband in order for the duo to procreate, because that would be considered the same as the wife and husband having a child. So Sarah gave her maid Hagar to her husband so they could produce a son.

‘Matty was dead, and now he’s perfect:’ Incredible story of a toddler brought back to life

Matt and Elsa Cunningham thought they’d lost their young son in a drowning accident earlier this month. But 22-month-old Matty made it through the terrible ordeal with no medical complications.

The toddler should not have survived. His case has defied the laws of nature and science. And the Oregon family wants to share the joy of their miraculous experience, which they attribute to the power of prayer.