Humanity must have more direct contact with nature to counter the modern lifestyles that are destroying the planet, Pope Francis told members of the Italian Catholic Movement of Adult Scouts during a meeting at the Vatican April 13.

Pope Francis on April 13 sided with a group of Peruvian villagers who have complained that companies linked to a powerful South American church group have tried to evict them from their land using lawsuits and obscure land titling schemes.

As an El Niño-induced drought hits Zimbabwe's rural areas, Catholic agencies such as Caritas and Catholic Relief Services are exploring long term climate resilience solutions to address food security concerns.