(RNS) Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court has agreed to hear the appeal of a non-religious family that's challenging the mandatory daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in their children’s classrooms. By Kimberly Winston.

(RNS) The Knights of Columbus, a wealthy and influential Catholic charitable organization, is a leading funder in efforts to make same-sex marriage illegal in four states that have ballot measures on the issue this fall, according to a coalition of gay rights groups. By David Gibson.

NEW YORK (RNS) Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who sparked controversy by agreeing to deliver the closing blessing at the Republican convention in Tampa this week, on Monday raised more questions about his political role by asking both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama to sign a “civility pledge” promoted by a leading conservative Catholic activist. By David Gibson.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) For the past four months, the Vatican has been in turmoil over the publication of several internal memos in the Italian press and in a bestselling book. The case led to the unprecedented arrest of the pope's butler, but is it possible to distinguish fact from fiction in this not-so-holy whodunit? By Alessandro Speciale.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The president of the Vatican Bank was forced to resign Thursday after a months-long dispute over implementing new financial transparency rules to bring the Vatican in line with other institutions. By Alessandro Speciale.