Religion
Pope Francis cancels Saturday morning audiences due to mild flu, Vatican says
The Vatican says Pope Francis has canceled his audiences scheduled for Saturday morning because he has a slight fever.
Christian school that objected to transgender athlete sues Vermont after it’s banned from competing
A Vermont religious school that withdrew its girls basketball team from a playoff game because a transgender student was playing on the opposing team is suing Vermont.
Suspended Alabama priest married the 18-year-old he fled to Italy with, records show
Records show that a suspended Alabama priest recently married the teenager he fled to Italy with this summer.
China is expanding its crackdown on mosques to regions outside Xinjiang, Human Rights Watch says
A report by Human Rights Watch says the Chinese government has expanded its campaign of closing mosques to regions other than Xinjiang, where for years it has been blamed for persecuting Muslim minorities.
Founder of far-right Catholic site resigns over breach of its morality clause, group says
The founder of a far-right, unofficial Catholic media group has resigned for an unspecified violation of the organization’s morality clause, the group said in a statement.
How a massive all-granite, hand-carved Hindu temple ended up on Hawaii’s lush Kauai Island
The island of Kauai is home to the only all-stone, hand-carved Hindu temple in the West, built without power tools or electricity.
A French bishop is accused of attempted rape in latest scandal to hit Catholic Church in France
Prosecutors say a French bishop has been handed a preliminary charge of attempting to rape an adult man a decade ago.
Jury acquits Catholic priest in Tennessee who was charged with sexual battery
A jury has found a Catholic priest in Tennessee not guilty of sexual battery against a woman who was a church member.
Carlton Pearson, influential Oklahoma megachurch founder who rejected hell, dies at age 70
The founder of a former megachurch in Oklahoma known for rejecting the idea of hell and supporting gay rights has died.
Christian conservatives flock to former telenovela star in Mexico’s presidential race
While most Mexican politicians refrain from clarifying where they stand on religion, abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, former telenovela actor and right-wing activist Eduardo Verástegui prays on TikTok and claims that getting closer to God changed the course of his life.
Methodist Church approves split of 261 Georgia congregations after LGBTQ+ divide
The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church has voted to allow 261 churches to leave the denomination amid a schism over LGBTQ issues.
DeSantis won’t condemn Musk for endorsing an antisemitic post. ‘I did not see the comment,’ he says
Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is refusing to condemn Elon Musk’s post endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory.
31 premature babies are evacuated from Gaza’s largest hospital, but scores of trauma patients remain
The World Health Organization says 31 premature babies in “extremely critical condition” have been evacuated from Gaza’s largest hospital and will be transferred to Egypt for specialized care.
For this group of trans women, the pope and his message of inclusivity are a welcome change
Pope Francis is hosting a special lunch for more than 1,000 poor people to mark the Catholic Church’s World Day of the Poor.
Daisaku Ikeda, head of global Japanese Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, dies at 95
Daisaku Ikeda, who headed Soka Gakkai, a Japanese Buddhist organization, that includes Herbie Hancock and other celebrities in its fold, has died.
32 babies in critical condition are among the patients left at Gaza’s main hospital, UN team says
A United Nations team was briefly allowed into Gaza’s largest hospital after it was evacuated by Israeli troops.
Ohio Catholic priest gets life sentence for sex-trafficking convictions
A Roman Catholic priest has received a life sentence for his convictions on five counts related to sex-trafficking charges in the molestation of three boys who prosecutors say he met at an Ohio preschool and coerced to continue sexual activity as adults.
Rio’s iconic Christ statue welcomes Taylor Swift with open arms thanks to Swifties and a priest
Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue was illuminated with a welcome to Brazil message for Taylor Swift.
High-ranking Mormon church leader Russell Ballard remembered as examplar of the faith
Associates and children of a top leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remembered him at a funeral Friday as a principled and compassionate man and exemplar of the faith.
Professor’s lawyer says video footage will clear his client charged in death of pro-Israel protester
A California prosecutor says evidence supports involuntary manslaughter and battery charges against a college professor accused in the death of a Jewish protester after an altercation at a demonstration over the Israel-Hamas war.
Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic cardinal says he dreams of bishops from greater China praying together
Hong Kong’s newly appointed Roman Catholic cardinal says he dreams of having bishops and faithfuls from different parts of greater China pray together one day.
The UN stops delivery of food and supplies to Gaza as a communications blackout hinders coordination
Aid agencies halted cross-border deliveries of humanitarian supplies even as they warned people may soon face starvation.
Judge rules against tribes in fight over Nevada lithium mine they say is near sacred massacre site
A federal judge in Nevada has dealt another legal setback to tribes trying to halt construction of a huge lithium mine they say is near the sacred site of an 1865 massacre along the Oregon border.
Longtime Israeli policy foes are leading US protests against Israel’s action in Gaza. Who are they?
As the Israel-Hamas war rages in Gaza, there’s a bitter battle for public opinion flaring in the U.S., with angry rallies on many college campuses and disruptive protests at prominent venues in several major cities.
California professor charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Jewish demonstrator
California authorities have charged a college professor with involuntary manslaughter and battery in the death of a Jewish protester during demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war.
Nicaragua’s exiled clergy and faithful in Miami keep up struggle for human rights at Mass
For the auxiliary bishop of Managua, fellow priests and many in the pews who have had to flee or were exiled from Nicaragua recently, the Sunday afternoon Mass at a Miami parish is not only a way to find solace in community.
Under a communication blackout, Gaza’s 2.3 million people are cut off from each other and the world
Internet and telephone services have collapsed across the Gaza Strip for lack of fuel, the main Palestinian provider says, bringing a potentially long-term communications blackout.
Lawyers for religious leaders challenging Missouri abortion ban say law imposes beliefs on everyone
Lawyers for a group of religious leaders who support abortion rights said during a hearing that Missouri lawmakers intended to “impose their religious beliefs on everyone” in the state when they passed a restrictive abortion ban.
Ousted Texas bishop rallies outside US bishops meeting as his peers reinforce Catholic voter values
U.S. bishops inside a Baltimore hotel approved materials on how Catholics should vote in 2024 elections.
Vatican plans to gradually replace car fleet with electric vehicles in deal with VW
The Vatican has signed an agreement with Volkswagen to gradually replace its auto fleet with electric vehicles.
Israel searches for traces of Hamas in raid of key Gaza hospital packed with patients
Shifa Hospital has become a symbol of the widespread suffering of Palestinian civilians during the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel says a Hamas command post is nestled under Shifa, without providing visual evidence. Hamas and Gaza health officials deny that allegation.