NATION/WORLD

The often silent plight of sexually abused children, victims of domestic violence, prisoners, the abandoned elderly, the unemployed and immigrants facing hostility will be given a powerful voice during the Stations of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum April 18.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (CNS) -- There is no way to mistake how Scalabrinian Father Mauro Verzeletti feels about immigration from Latin America to the United States. He does not want it to happen, mostly because he knows the journey most migrants will face is fraught with danger and threats.

A lot of people, even Catholics, think that talking about the devil is completely old-fashioned, but anyone who wants to follow Jesus needs to know that Satan exists and will keep putting up obstacles to faith, Pope Francis said.

As Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, the future pope dragged the hidden problem of human slavery into broad daylight via open-air Masses for and with victims of human trafficking. Now, as pope, he's calling it "a crime against humanity" and decrying the world's indifference.

Pope Francis said the assassination of "my confrere," a 75-year-old Dutch Jesuit in Syria, "filled me with deep sadness and made me think again of all the people who suffer and are dying in that martyred country."

Responding to concerns about Catholic involvement with Girl Scouts, a U.S. bishops' committee released key points from its dialogue with Girl Scout leaders outlining major concerns of church leaders and the national organization's responses.

People can choose either to tackle life's challenges with the loving and wise heart of God or be driven by their own passions and interests, Pope Francis said.

One of hotelier Conrad N. Hilton's wishes in his final will was to support Catholic sisters all over the world, and in its 70 years, his foundation has helped accomplish this.

Healing and reconciliation continue 20 years after Rwanda's 100 days of genocide, making the central African nation a strong example for troubled states to emulate, international observers said.

Archbishop Jorge Carlos Patrón Wong, Secretary for Seminaries in the Congregation for Clergy, instituted 53 seminarians from 42 U.S. dioceses to the ministry of acolyte April 6 in Rome. Among them was Phoenix's own Dan Connealy.