VATICAN CITY (RNS) Fifty years after the Catholic Church convened the Second Vatican Council to confront internal changes and challenges, hundreds of bishops gathered at the Vatican to discuss how to stem the tide of secularization and rekindle faith in contemporary society. By Alessandro Speciale.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) A Vatican judge sentenced Pope Benedict's former butler to 18 months in jail for stealing the pontiff's private papers and leaking them to the press. But a Vatican spokesman said that a papal pardon is highly likely. By Alessandro Speciale.

(RNS) What started off as a rocky relationship between the Episcopal and Roman Catholic bishops of San Francisco got even worse on Thursday (Oct. 4) when Episcopal Bishop Marc Andrus said he was denied entrance to the installation Mass of the new Roman Catholic archbishop. By Kevin Eckstrom.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican police, known as the Gendarmeria, has come into the spotlight in the so-called Vatileaks trial, and not just for the alleged abuse against Pope Benedict's former butler. Founded only in 1971, its role has grown significantly in the Vatican in recent years. By Alessandro Speciale.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Unitarian Universalists grew nationally by 15.8 percent from 2000 to 2010, and while they remain small in total numbers with about 211,000 adherents nationwide, Unitarians believe their open-minded faith has a bright future as an alternative to more exclusive brands of religion. By Bob Smietana/USA Today.

(RNS) Fifty years after he opened the revolutionary Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII, known as the Good Pope, is on the verge of being declared a saint. Perhaps the key question is: Should he be? By Greg Tobin.

WASHINGTON (RNS) Seventy percent of Americans say Scientology is not a true religion compared to 13 percent who believe it is, according to a new poll by CBS News and Vanity Fair magazine. By Jeanie Groh.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI's former butler said he was held for weeks in a cell where he couldn't "even stretch his arms'' and where his light was kept constantly on. Paolo Gabriele pleaded not guilty to stealing the pope's private papers, but said he had betrayed the pope's trust. By Alessandro Speciale.

(RNS) Pope Benedict XVI has reportedly told the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) that they must accept the Second Vatican Council, a move that might seal the fate of years of negotiations to bring the group fully back into the Catholic fold. By Alessandro Speciale.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The pope's former butler goes to trial on Saturday, an unprecedented test for the legal system of the world's smallest state -- and a chance to restore the Vatican's credibility. By Alessandro Speciale.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Cardinal Raymond Burke isn't shy about speaking his mind, but the former archbishop of St. Louis has quietly become an influential player in Rome since Pope Benedict XVI named him the Vatican's top legal authority. By David Gibson.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Catholic leaders in Muslim countries are calling for a U.N. resolution against blasphemy -- a potential problem for the Vatican as it tries to combat religious desecration while stopping short of endorsing laws to outlaw it. By Alessandro Speciale.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) A Catholic rival to Google AdSense will be unveiled Thursday with the aim of providing Catholic websites with church-approved, morally sound advertisements. By Alessandro Speciale.

NEW ORLEANS (RNS) Faith-based ministries say it's already clear that the recovery from Hurricane Isaac will proceed without the national outpouring of money and volunteers triggered by Hurricane Katrina. "From our point of view, the biggest challenge with this disaster will be getting attention and money," said Gordon Wadge, president of Catholic Charities. By Bruce Nolan.

(RNS) Christian author Max Lucado talked to Religion News Service about grace, the topic of his latest book -- and answered a range of questions from people who follow RNS on Twitter. By Adelle M. Banks.