Pope Francis said in an interview Thursday that if the Catholic Church does not balance its positions on abortion, gays and contraception with its attempt to make the church a more merciful, welcoming place for all, its moral structure will “fall like a house of cards.” He told an Italian Jesuit magazine that the church must perform triage to heal the wounds of the faithful and seek the people who have been hurt, have shied away from the church or have been excluded. The pope’s position contrasts with predecessors who stuck pretty strictly to doctrine. (read full story)

Funerals were held Thursday for five children who died in a mobile-home fire early Sunday in northwest Ohio, and the four daughters were buried in a single casket. The father and the youngest son, both of whom died in the fire as well, were laid to rest in a separate funeral in Sandusky later Thursday. The childrens’ mother, who was at work when the fire broke out, has received more than $38,000 in donations to help afford the funeral, and an anonymous donor offered her a used car. (a href=”https://kentstater.com/children-killed-in-ohio-trailer-fire-laid-to-rest”>read full story)

Leaked documents obtained by The Associated Press related to a U.N. climate-change report show U.N. scientists are struggling to reconcile a discrepancy between data showing a rise in greenhouse gas emissions and a slowdown of the heating of Earth’s surface. Some scientists say the slowdown is a statistical mirage and reflects random climate fluctuations, but skeptics of global warming say the data are casting doubt on the whole theory of global warming.

Former NFL player, Brian Holloway, whose house was trashed Labor Day weekend by young people partying at his family’s second home now says he thought the initial reports on Twitter about the party were fake. But the hundreds of partiers caused at least $20,000 in damage, and he said he is using their Twitter posts to reveal their identities. The spokeswoman for the county sheriff’s office said Wednesday the investigation is underway, but no arrests have been made.

Contact Carrie Blazina at [email protected].