Franciscan order on verge of bankruptcy after financial fraud is uncovered
VATICAN CITY (RNS) One of the largest Franciscan religious orders, founded on the humble teachings of St. Francis of Assisi more than..
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First showers, now sleeping bags: Pope Francis’ birthday gift to the homeless
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis marked his 78th birthday by giving hundreds of sleeping bags to the homeless in Rome, Vatican officials..
Church of England names its first woman bishop; Libby Lane to assume historic role
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) The Church of England announced on Wednesday (Dec. 17) that Libby Lane, a parish priest from Hale, a small..
Pope Francis appoints new members to child abuse panel
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A British survivor of clerical sexual abuse and a longtime aide to Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley are among nine new..
Alan Gross release hailed as Hanukkah ‘miracle,’ first step in ‘normalized’ U.S.-Cuba Relations
WASHINGTON (RNS) Alan Gross, the Jewish international aid worker held on alleged spy charges in Cuba for five years, was freed on..
Vatican seeks to bury the hatchet with American nuns
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican ended a six-year inquiry into U.S. nuns with a report designed to bury their differences and celebrate..
Sierra Leone bans Christmas, New Year’s celebrations to prevent spread of Ebola
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) The government of Sierra Leone banned public Christmas and New Year’s celebrations because they may exacerbate efforts to eradicate..
Rabbi David Saperstein confirmed as U.S. ambassador for religious freedom
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Senate has confirmed Rabbi David Saperstein as the State Department’s ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, making him the first..
Dalai Lama says Pope Francis is unwilling to meet: ‘It could cause problems’
ROME (RNS) The Dalai Lama said Thursday (Dec. 11) that he would not meet Pope Francis while in Rome for a summit..
Kenya church leaders alarmed by al-Shabab’s persecution of Christians
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) Church leaders say attacks by Somalia’s al-Shabab militants in Kenya are increasingly taking on an anti-Christian tenor, including targeted executions of non-Muslims...
Pope Francis speaks: 5 takeaways from another blockbuster interview
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Gay marriage was never on the agenda at the recent Synod of Bishops on the Family and the subject “did..
After Ferguson and Eric Garner decisions, white Christians say it’s time to stand with blacks
WASHINGTON (RNS) “African-American brothers and sisters, especially brothers, in this country are more likely to be arrested, more likely to be executed,..
1 in 3 Americans want a divorce between clergy and civil marriages
(RNS) Should clergy divorce themselves from civil marriage? Such a church-state split — already endorsed by some Catholic and evangelical leaders — is showing surprising..
Evangelicals add support for EPA plan to cut coal pollution
WASHINGTON (RNS) Evangelicals are teaming up with environmentalists to support the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan to substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-burning..
Pope Francis joins other faith leaders to demand an end to human trafficking
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis and religious leaders from Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other faiths came together at the Vatican on Tuesday..
Boko Haram terrorists aim at Nigeria’s Muslims, too, killing 120 Friday worshippers
(RNS) Nigerian religious leaders united to condemn a coordinated terrorist attack on a mosque in the city of Kano Friday (Nov. 28),..
Ferguson pastors urge peace after grand jury doesn’t indict
ST. LOUIS (RNS) Like so many others Monday (Nov. 24) night, the congregants at West Side Missionary Baptist Church were glued to televisions..
Can Jews and Muslims get along? 60 imams and rabbis meet in Washington to try
(RNS) Frustrated by dangerously high tensions between Jews and Muslims in the Holy Land, 60 imams and rabbis gathered Sunday (Nov. 23) to..
Churches to serve as safe spaces after Ferguson grand jury announcement
ST. LOUIS (RNS) After a prayer service outside her church turned violent last month, the Rev. Teresa Danieley, pastor of St. John’s Tower Grove, allowed those trying..
Evangelicals a mixed bag on Obama’s immigration move
WASHINGTON (RNS) While Republican leaders blast President Obama for taking executive action on immigration reform, some prominent evangelical leaders are welcoming the president’s..
Cardinal O’Malley repeats: Church needs to discipline bishops over sex abuse
(RNS) Following up on remarks to “60 Minutes” about the clergy sex abuse crisis and other controversial topics, Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley..
Faith leaders join consumer advocates to push for lower payday loan rates
WASHINGTON (RNS) Dozens of faith leaders and consumer advocates are pressing Congress to create a national interest rate cap for payday lenders instead..
Church of England formally approves women bishops
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) Twenty years after women were ordained as priests, the Church of England is set to appoint its first woman..
Mormons change rules to allow moms, divorced women to teach religion
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) Until now, if you were a Mormon woman hired to teach at an church seminary for high schoolers or..
Court rejects atheists’ demand to end tax-exempt clergy housing
(RNS) A federal court of appeals rejected a case brought by an atheist organization that would have made tax-exempt clergy housing allowances..