Faith & Family
Pope announces resignation of U.S. bishop accused of embezzling $270,000 from California parish
The bishop of a small Chaldean Catholic community in the San Diego area has resigned amid charges that he embezzled $270,000 from his parish, Pope Leo XIV announced Tuesday.
‘They will not assimilate’: Jake Lang, target of alleged ISIS bomb attack, slams Muslim immigrants
Jake Lang, a MAGA supporter whose anti-Muslim rally was the target of what authorities say was an ISIS-inspired terror attack in New York City, believes he was spared from harm by God.
At the convent of Leonardo’s ‘Last Supper,’ Dominican friars still live, pray and welcome visitors
The Rev. Paolo Venturelli never gets too close when he visits Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper." The Dominican friar prefers to stand away from the wall where it was painted, on the opposite side of the room once used by members of his order for meals.
What James Madison can teach Americans about religious freedom today
The early correspondence of James Madison - who went on to become the fourth U.S president and played a key role in the drafting of the Constitution and Bill of Rights - wrestles with the tensions of religion and public life. It can be instructive for Americans today.
Europe on alert after blasts near a Belgian synagogue and outside U.S. Embassy in Oslo
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said Monday that an explosion near a synagogue in the eastern city of Liege overnight was "a despicable antisemitic act" and that federal prosecutors were investigating, as several countries in Europe tighten security due to the war in the Middle East.
Faith leaders push for access to ICE detention centers during Lent and Ramadan
The long-held practice of faith leaders ministering to detained migrants has become far more contentious - and consequential - as detention numbers soar across the United States during the federal government's immigration crackdown.
Pope names veteran Vatican diplomat as ambassador to the U.S. to manage relations with Trump
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday named a veteran Vatican diplomat as his new ambassador to the United States to manage one of the Holy See's most important bilateral relationships at a crucial time, with ties strained over the Trump administration's war in Iran and immigration crackdown.
Congress has chance to update kids’ digital privacy law, while other online safety bills stall
Congress is struggling to reach a consensus on legislation to protect children in the digital age after years of legislative work, but at least one bill stands a chance of becoming law this year.
Shock, dismay, as Family Federation churches seized by liquidators across Japan
Persons of faith were stunned Wednesday when they arrived at places of worship to find them surrounded by police and liquidators, whose presence made clear that their religious organization -- which had committed no crime -- was being dismantled.
‘Christ is king’: Ancient proclamation of faith’s core tenet can morph into something political
On its own, the phrase "Christ is king" sums up a core tenet of the Christian faith, that Jesus is the divine ruler of the universe. Catholics and many Protestants celebrate a Christ the King Sunday each year.
Cologne Cathedral, one of Germany’s best-known landmarks, to charge tourists for admission
Cologne Cathedral, a famous German landmark and popular tourist draw, will start charging an admission fee to visitors as church officials struggle with rising maintenance costs, according to an announcement on Thursday.
‘Dangerous precedent’ for religious freedom: Critics assail Tokyo court’s Unification Church ruling
Prominent U.S. political figures and global religious-freedom advocates assailed an extraordinary ruling from a Tokyo court Wednesday that upheld the dissolution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, warning that the decision will erode Japan's standing as a champion of religious liberty.
Claims of ‘rediscovered’ Michelangelos unsettle Renaissance experts
An independent researcher claimed on Wednesday that a marble bust of Christ in a Roman church is by Michelangelo, the latest purported attribution to the Renaissance genius who is one of the most imitated artists in the world.
More states expand universal school choice under Trump administration
More states are expanding programs letting parents spend public money on private schools, buoyed by the Trump administration's support.
Sprawling investigation finds decades of sexual abuse among Catholic priests in Rhode Island
Catholic priests in Rhode Island preyed on hundreds of children for decades, getting away with sexual abuse largely due to a system where bishops prioritized minimizing scandal as the diocese maintained a secret archive to conceal the revelation of more victims.
