Religious Articles

(RNS) — When the helicopter delivering Pope John Paul II to a Catholic youth festival descended into Denver’s Mile High Stadium 32 years ago, the crowd’s roar, the pilot later told papal biographer George Weigel, created turbulence he hadn’t experienced since being...

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The Vatican announced a new campaign to urge divestment from mining activities, which Catholic Church leaders said enrich wealthy countries while leaving environmental damage and poverty in the Global South. “We are living in a time when humanity...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he supports a proposal to rename César Chavez Day as Farmworkers Day following stunning allegations of abuse against the revered labor leader. Political leaders in states and cities are considering similar...

BEIRUT (AP) — Back home, Lilian Jamaan would have been shopping for clothes for her daughter and buying meat and sweets in preparation for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. But now, “there’s no joy for Eid or...

ROME (AP) — A hidden cloister just a few steps from Rome’s Pantheon is a peaceful place for silent meditation — if the millions of tourists who trudge past even know it’s there. Behind the large wooden door, its frescoed walls closed to the general public reveal...

Muslim families in Texas are asking: Does school choice include us? A Houston-area father went to enroll his kids in Texas’ new school voucher program and discovered their school wasn’t on the list — along with every other Islamic school in the state. Texas launched...

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Every year before Easter, Elias Hazin’s phone would ring with pilgrims booking trips to visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. This year, Hazin says, there have been only cancellations. The tourism industry in Bethlehem is “basically dead,” said...

(RNS) — Influenced by a prominent pastor and a layman who led a prison ministry, George W. Bush in his first presidential administration embarked on an ambitious goal: to partner the federal government with faith-based groups. The concept already existed during the...

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — On the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia,” Pope Francis’ 2016 apostolic exhortation on marriage and family, Pope Leo XIV announced he will hold a gathering of presidents of bishops’ conferences at the Vatican to address the same topics in...

NEW YORK (RNS) — Since the start of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and prayer, once lively group chats among New York’s West African Muslims have grown quieter. Fearing immigration enforcement operations, mosques have scaled back gatherings — even encouraging...

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — As Pope Leo XIV prepares to travel to Africa, its Catholic leaders are underlining the significance of the visit to the continent, where Christianity is on an upsurge. Leo will visit Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea from April...

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Three suspected suicide bombings have killed at least 23 people and wounded 108 others in northeastern Nigeria, police said Tuesday. It was one of the deadliest attacks targeting the city of Maiduguri in recent history. Residents and...