The Catholic Church should function like a choir where every member contributes his or her unique part to create a harmonious whole, Pope Francis said.

The outstanding characteristic of the “Bad Boys” buddy cop movies has always been the sheer delight with which they depict violence. So when, after a two-film rampage over the turn of the millennium, the franchise fell quiescent for almost as long as Rip Van Winkle snoozed, it was a case of letting a sleeping cinematic dog lie.

The Eucharist reflects God’s steadfast friendship and “journey of love” with his people, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of Washington said in his homily at the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Mass June 9 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Pope Francis once again renewed his call for a cease-fire in Gaza following the rescue of four hostages that led to what officials in Gaza said was the killing of more than 270 Palestinians in an Israeli rescue operation that one European Union diplomat deemed a “massacre.”

More than 1,200 faithful took to the streets of the nation’s capital June 8 to celebrate the arrival of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Washington with prayers, songs and a procession.