NEWS OF THE WEEK
The 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly officially got underway in New York with strong calls for world peace. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rang a peace bell and called for a global ceasefire. He specifically cited the … More
In his first extensive interview, Pope Francis warned that the Catholic Church needs a new balance with less emphasis on opposing abortion, gay marriage, and contraception and more on proclaiming “the saving love of God” and the church as a … More
The seven-day Jewish festival of Sukkot ends Wednesday (September25). After Sukkot, Jews celebrate Simchat Torah (September 26-27), which marks the end of the annual Torah reading cycle. The joyous celebrations often include dancing in the streets with Torah scrolls.
Finally, some sad news this week in our Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly family. Phil O’Connor, our supervising producer and dear friend, died of cancer. He was a superb news producer, a genial colleague, and an extraordinarily good man. He loved great … More
There were major efforts this week to prevent a US military strike against Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry began meeting with Russian officials to explore a possible agreement with Syria to turn over its chemical weapons to international supervision. … More
Faith groups were among those who marked the 12th anniversary of 9/11. At an annual Unity Walk in Washington, members of different religions came together to promote interfaith understanding. The day included visits to several houses of worship and prayers … More
Pope Francis this week stressed the need for dialogue between believers and non-believers. The pope’s comments came in a letter published in Italy’s popular paper, La Repubblica. One of the paper’s founders, an atheist, had written to the pope asking … More
As Congress returned to Washington, religious leaders renewed their push for comprehensive immigration reform. A group called the Interfaith Immigration Coalition announced 40 days of prayer, fasting and advocacy.
At a ceremony in the US Capitol this week, the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, was awarded posthumously to four young black girls who were killed during the bombing of a Birmingham, Alabama church 50 years ago. … More
Wednesday night (September 18) begins the seven-day Jewish festival of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Jews recall their ancestors’ 40 years of wandering in the desert by building a fragile outside structure called a sukkah, which they use for prayers … More
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