Pope Francis encouraged pilgrim groups visiting Rome for the Holy Year to be witnesses of hope and trust in God’s faithfulness, especially in moments of discouragement.

While the 88-year-old pope was back at the Vatican and had appeared briefly on the balcony of Rome’s Gemelli hospital March 23, the Sunday he was discharged, to offer his blessing, he was following doctors’ orders to rest and did not make a televised or public appearance.

An Arizona couple whose toddler survived a drowning incident March 2 is attributing his miraculous recovery to intercessions from Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, along with a multitude of saints and what they count as thousands of prayers from across the country and the world.

A Satanic group’s effort to conduct a “black mass” at the Kansas Statehouse March 28 turned violent, leading to arrests, while across the street the state’s Catholic archbishop led hundreds in peaceful prayer before the Eucharist for those who “seek to mock our merciful God.”

On March 28, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Mandalay-Sagaing region in southwestern Myanmar, causing multistory buildings to collapse and raising concerns about a significant death toll.