Ukrainian child advocate Mykola Kuleba is pleading for the Vatican’s assistance, after publicly highlighting what he said was one of several databases used by Russian occupation officials to market abducted Ukrainian children to Russian foster and adoption families.

Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador issued a pair of petitions for lawmakers during a Mass celebrated for the feast of the Divine Savior, observed in the country to commemorate the Transfiguration. Both petitions ventured into the realm of politics.

Catholics have lauded the recent signing of a state law that makes it a felony to procure sex from a 16- or 17-year-old minor in the state of California.

The 410 firearms collected during the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s third annual gun buyback Aug. 9 exceeded expectations and boosted hopes of ending gun violence. The day’s urgency was underscored hours later when a mass shooting in Park Heights left a 38-year-old man dead and injured four other adults and a 5-year-old girl.

Calm seas and a gentle breeze helped to carry the Stonington fishing fleet out past Stonington Point July 27 for the Holy Cross Community’s annual Blessing of the Fleet, a tradition dating back 70 years.