Lifestory: Terry Anderson, US journalist held hostage in Lebanon
ALISTAIR BELL and DANIEL TROTTA, of Reuters, report on the life of Terry Anderson who has died at the age of 76…
Gallup poll: More than half of Americans rarely go to church
United States RNS The most popular church in America might be St Mattress, followed by Bedside Baptist. Those two – euphemisms for sleeping in on Sundays – increasingly describe the attitude of many Americans toward attending churches or other houses of worship. Mark Galli kneels in prayer before Mass at St Michael Catholic Church, on […]
Sight-Seeing: Poverty, potatoes and peace – timely lessons from Ireland’s turbulent history?
HEATHER KEITH, a writer with Baptist World Aid Australia, looks at what experience has taught her about praying and hoping for peace in our conflicted world…
Essay: Nicaragua released imprisoned priests, but repression is unlikely to relent – and the Catholic Church remains a target
In an article first published on The Conversation, KAI M THALER looks at recent events in Nicaragua against the backdrop of a years-long, wide-ranging crackdown on Catholic church clergy and groups…
Synod on Synodality finds its voice after Pope Francis enforces silence
Vatican CityRNS The first rule of the Synod on Synodality: Don’t talk about the Synod on Synodality. The long-awaited monthlong summit of Catholic cardinals, bishops, priests and laypeople called by Pope Francis to address the biggest challenges facing the church has been wrapped in a veil of silence or – as the Pope calls his […]
Are US white evangelical pastors at odds with their congregants? A new study says no
United StatesRNS Over the past two years, a group of influential evangelical leaders broke away from their churches or denominations, mostly over their congregations’ solid support for former President Donald Trump and, more generally, conservative politics and messaging. The moves, by such people as theologian Russell Moore and Bible study teacher Beth Moore, most prominently, […]
Pope visit to Mongolia will thrill tiny Catholic community, cardinal says
Vatican CityReuters The head of one of the world’s smallest national Catholic communities – Mongolia with 1,450 members – said on Monday that Pope Francis’ visit there will show how far it has come since locals watched “these funny foreigners praying”. Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, an Italian who administers the Church in the vast country that […]
Vatican and Vietnam to take major step forward in relations
Vatican City/Hanoi, Vietnam Reuters The Vatican and Vietnam are due to take a major step towards improving their long strained relations by finalising a deal in which Hanoi will allow the Holy See to have a resident representative in the communist-run country, sources say. The deal will likely be announced during a visit to the […]
Among US Latinos, Catholicism still largest faith – poll
New York, USAP Catholics remain the largest religious group among Latinos in the United States, but the number of Latinos who identify as religiously unaffiliated continues to grow. Those are among the key findings in a comprehensive report released Thursday by the Pew Research Center that surveyed 7,647 US adults from 1st to 14th August […]
Pope hopes Northern Ireland accord can be “consolidated” to benefit all Ireland
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis said on Monday he was praying that the Good Friday Agreement signed 25 years ago that largely ended violence in Northern Ireland can be “consolidated” to benefit the people of all of Ireland. Francis made the comment about the 1998 agreement, which has come under strain following Britain’s exit from […]