In the US, Massachusetts diocese publishes nameless clergy abuse report
United StatesAP A US Roman Catholic diocese that covers central Massachusetts has published a new report about clergy sexual abuse of minors between 1950 and 2022, but unlike similar reports released by many other dioceses, the report did not include the names of the priests who were found to have committed abuse. In the report made […]
Arctic blast grips US north-east, bringing frostbite-threatening temperatures
Worcester, Massachusetts, USReuters A powerful arctic blast swept into the US north-east on Friday, pushing temperatures to perilously low levels across the region, including New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, where the wind chill dropped to -79 degrees Celsius, forecasters said. Wind-child warnings were posted for most of New York state and all six New England states […]
Essay: Dear Australians, please scare off the Halloween vibe
American-Australian JO KADLECEK says there are good reasons for Australians to resist adopting the US celebration of Halloween…
Immigrant living in US church for years wins temporary reprieve
Bedford, MassachusettsAP A Guatemalan woman who has been living in a Massachusetts church for more than three years to avoid deportation has been granted a reprieve to remain in the country for now. Maria Macario was issued a one-year stay of her deportation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials during a meeting at its Burlington office […]
Fire at Black church in US being investigated as possible arson
Springfield, Massachusetts, USAP A fire early Monday morning at a Massachusetts church with a predominantly Black congregation is considered “highly suspicious” and is being investigated as a possible arson, authorities said. City, state and federal authorities are investigating the fire that heavily damaged the Martin Luther King Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Fire Commissioner Bernard […]
In the US, Boston’s Catholic archdiocese expands effort to digitise archives
Boston, USRNS When Thomas Lester began his job as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston’s archivist in 2014, he quickly noticed that many of the archdiocese’s bound archives containing centuries of records of sacraments performed by its clergy were beginning to fall apart. “It was very obvious right from the beginning that these thousands of […]
ESSAY: IN THE US, A FIGHT OVER ‘SO HELP ME GOD’? GOD HELP US
Writing from the US, Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE, in an article first published on Religion News Service, posits a way forward in the fight over whether “so help me God” should be dropped from oaths made before legislative committees…
Does God care if you smoke weed? In the US, many Bay State faith groups say yeah, man
RNS Since the US east coast’s first recreational marijuana shops opened in Massachusetts this past fall, pot fans have snapped up more than $US20 million worth of legal weed. But for many people of faith in the Bay State, legalisation hasn’t burned away the moral and health concerns about the use of drugs for fun. […]