NEWS OF THE WEEK
Prayer services were held in Spain this week for the more than 75 people who died in a train crash near the city of Santiago de Compostela, the site of a popular Catholic pilgrimage. Many of them were traveling to … More
In Washington, evangelicals gathered to pray and call once again for comprehensive immigration reform. Evangelical leaders have been lobbying Congress to pass legislation that both secures the border and provides a pathway to citizenship. At a press conference on Capitol … More
In Washington, faith groups renewed calls to close the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. Religious leaders fasted for 24 hours in advance of a Senate hearing on the possibility of closing the base. As they broke the fast, they described … More
There was more sectarian violence in Iraq this week, as attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan continued. Bombings carried out against both Sunnis and Shiites have killed nearly two hundred people in the two weeks since Ramadan began. … More
Catholic bishops in Britain denounced that country’s decision this week to legalize same-sex marriage. The Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury also had opposed the law, warning that a redefinition of marriage would undermine the “cornerstone” of society. The Church of England … More
New data finds that more Americans are religious moderates than anything else. The Public Religion Research Institute says almost four-in-ten Americans hold moderate religious views, compared to about 30 percent who are religious conservatives and about 20 percent religious progressives. … More
Pope Francis leaves next week on his first major international trip. He’ll travel to Brazil—home to the world’s largest Catholic population—to celebrate World Youth Day. The Pope will pray at the national shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, the largest … More
Can following the Pope on Twitter be good for your soul? The Vatican says that following World Youth Day events on social media can lead to a plenary indulgence, which Catholics believe can reduce the time a soul spends in … More
In Syria, fighting continued this week despite calls from the United Nations for a cease-fire during Ramadan. The UN and other international aid groups say civilians in Syria are facing extremely severe shortages of food, water and medicine.
At the Vatican this week, Pope Francis updated Vatican City laws related to child sexual abuse and to the leaking of Vatican information. The laws apply to all Vatican employees. Pope Francis increased the prison sentences for sexual abuse and … More
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