At the Vatican, in his annual address to the Vatican diplomatic corps Pope Benedict XVI had strong words on Syria and the international economy. The pope called for more humanitarian aid to Syria and warned that there will be no … More →

January 11, 2013

In Syria, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. The World Food Program said it is unable to reach one million Syrians in need of food. The group said it’s had to withdraw its staff from certain cities because of the … More →

January 11, 2013

In Los Angeles, a judge has ordered the Catholic archdiocese to release nearly 30,000 internal documents on the clergy sex abuse crisis, without removing any names. Previously, another judge had ruled the archdiocese could redact the names, but that decision … More →

January 11, 2013

Some Orthodox Christians celebrated Epiphany this week, a day on which they commemorate the Baptism of Jesus. As is traditional, in Istanbul, Greek Orthodox Christians jumped into the Bosphorus to retrieve a cross. Other Orthodox Christians, including the Russian and … More →

January 11, 2013

Arguments continue over the so-called “fiscal cliff” deal approved this week in the final minutes of the 112th Congress, and religious groups are among those weighing in. The Family Research Council criticized the deal for not including spending cuts and … More →

January 4, 2013

Legal challenges continue against new contraception requirements in the federal health care law. Under the law, employers must cover contraceptive services for their employees free of charge. Dozens of organizations, many of them faith-based, say that violates their beliefs. Last … More →

January 4, 2013

The new 113th Congress, which was sworn in Thursday (January 3), includes several religious firsts. Democrat Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is the first Hindu member of Congress. Mazie Hirono, also of Hawaii, is the first Buddhist senator, although she describes … More →

January 4, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI rang in the New Year with a strong call for peace. He said peace is all too often threatened by what he called “the prevalence of a selfish and individualist mindset” that gets expressed in “unregulated capitalism, … More →

January 4, 2013

A new United Nations report says more than 60,000 people have died in Syria’s 22-month-old conflict. That number significantly exceeds previous estimates, and the UN’s refugee agency says there’s been a steady increase in the number of Syrians fleeing the … More →

January 4, 2013

Episcopal Bishop Jane Holmes Dixon died in her sleep on Christmas Day. She was 75. Dixon was a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Washington, and the second woman in the U.S. to be ordained an Episcopal bishop. She retired … More →

January 4, 2013