NEWS OF THE WEEK
Father Theodore Hesburgh, the distinguished former president of the University of Notre Dame, died this week (February 26). Hesburgh was president of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987. He helped transform Notre Dame into a premier academic institution. He was … More
This week, on Sunday evening (March 1) Baha’is begin their Nineteen-Day Fast, when they abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset. Next Friday (March 6), Hindus celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colors. They throw colored water and … More
As the Obama administration held its long-awaited three-day summit on countering violent extremism, the misuse of religion to justify violence was all too evident in many parts of the world. The United Nations held an emergency session this week to … More
In Copenhagen, Denmark, hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to the Jewish guard who was shot and killed at a synagogue last week. The 22-year-old gunman was allegedly influenced by radical Islam. Just before the synagogue shooting, he … More
In the US, some Muslims said they are experiencing a new spike in attacks against their community, the most serious being last week’s murder of three Muslim-Americans in North Carolina. An Islamic Institute in Houston was destroyed by an arsonist, … More
At the White House extremism summit, prominent faith leaders, politicians, and law enforcement officials discussed the growing crisis generated by groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda. President Obama said that while those groups use religion to justify their atrocities, … More
There was continuing concern about rising anti-Semitism in many parts of Europe. In the wake of the Copenhagen synagogue attack, hundreds of Jewish graves were desecrated in France. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his call for European Jews to … More
This week (February 18) Western Christians observed Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent, the period of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter. At the Vatican, Pope Francis presided over the traditional Ash Wednesday service with its imposition of … More
Prayers and remembrances were held this week for Kayla Mueller, the 26-year-old American who was confirmed dead after being held by ISIS militants for a year-and-a-half. The White House confirmed the news of her death, but it was unclear how … More
In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, thousands gathered to mourn the deaths of three Muslim students who were shot in their apartment, allegedly by a neighbor. The suspect is 46-year-old Craig Stephen Hicks, who was arrested and charged with three counts … More
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