A third of Asian Americans say religion is very important in their lives – survey
United StatesRNS More Asian Americans identify as atheist, agnostic or nonreligious than before, according to a survey released Wednesday by Pew Research Center. But 40 per cent of those Pew surveyed, who included Americans of Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese backgrounds, said they feel close to a religion for reasons aside from religion, […]
Essay: The Catholic Church is increasingly diverse – and so are its controversies
MATHEW SCHMALZ, professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross in the US, says – in an article first published on The Conversation – controversies within the church are reflective of much wider tensions within Catholicism…
Brazil: As Rio’s Christ the Redeemer celebrates 90 years, plans for new giant statues push ahead
Christ the Redeemer, the monumental statue depicting Jesus Christ above the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro celebrated its 90th anniversary last month. But, as EDUARDO CAMPOS LIMA reports, it’s soon to be joined by a number of other giant statues of figures across the country…
Religion and politics: Boris Johnson and Britain are having their own Catholic crisis
CATHERINE PEPINSTER, writing for Religion News Servcice, reports from the UK…
Catholicism in the capital: With his inauguration, Biden makes his return to ‘Catholic Washington’
As the second ever Catholic President takes office in the US, JACK JENKINS, of Religion News Service, looks at Catholic influencers in Washington, DC…
PAPAL VISIT: POPE WINS HEARTS BY BREAKING THE MOULD IN THAILAND
CLAIRE GIANGRAVÉ, of Religion News Service, reports from Thailand on the papal visit…
Pope warns booming Mauritius against “idolatrous economic model”
Vatican CityRNS Known as a beach bum’s paradise and a millionaire’s tax haven, the island nation of Mauritius welcomed Pope Francis, who encouraged its people to embrace their rich diversity as the country struggles with past and recent forms of colonisation. “You possess an authoritative voice, one that has taken on life,” Francis said while […]
Pope Francis blesses Mozambique’s reconciliation efforts on Africa visit
Vatican CityRNS Pope Francis drove home his message for lasting peace in the troubled country of Mozambique on Thursday, the first day of his three-country visit to Africa, while speaking to its leaders of today and its generation of tomorrow. “In the course of these years, you have come to realise how the pursuit of […]
More than a third of US Catholics question loyalty in wake of scandals, says survey
RNS A new survey reveals that more US Catholics are questioning whether they should remain in the church today than when news of the “Spotlight” child sex abuse scandal broke in the Boston Archdiocese in 2002. According to a poll released Wednesday by Gallup, more than a third of US Catholics – 37 per cent – surveyed […]
At World Meeting of Families, Catholic leaders address sex abuse scandal, LGBT inclusion
Dublin, IrelandRNS A range of challenges to family life in the 21st century – from poor communication and alienation to sexual misconduct and the treatment of LGBT persons – dominated conversation at the Catholic Church’s World Meeting of Families this week. Participants in the four-day pastoral congress heard talks by church leaders in the United […]