Investigations in the Fort Hood shooting suspect’s Muslim background continue, including his attendance of a Virginia mosque with ties to two 9/11 hijackers. The former imam of that mosque, an American who now lives in Yemen, praised Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan on his Web site. The Army’s Chief of Staff, though, warned against speculating about Hasan’s motives and said focusing on his Islamic roots could “heighten the backlash” against Muslims in the military. Meanwhile, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, who is in the United Arab Emirates, said officials are working around the U.S. to head off any backlash against civlian Muslims.

The U.S. Catholic Bishops scored a major, if tentative, victory by successfully lobbying for an anti-abortion amendment in the health care bill that the House narrowly passed Saturday night. The bill imposes a 2.5 % penalty tax on anyone who fails to obtain health coverage, but provides a “conscience exemption” for groups, like the Amish, who reject outside insurance benefits.

A West Virginia federal district court concluded that the free exercise clause does not require states to provide a religious exemption from immunizations.

The National Council of Churches delivered a petition with 14,000 signatures asking Congress to do something about climate change.

A slain Catholic nun who lived and worked on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico was laid to rest on Saturday.

An academic debate over the authorship of the Dead Sea Scrolls escalated into a lot of Internet shenanigans is now being heard in a NYC court. The Capitol’s Christmas tree is coming from Arizona. The director of Duke University’s Catholic Center is angry about a campus survey that hands out sex toys as door prizes.

The United Methodist Church’s high court said a regional conference can’t negate the denomination’s stance on homosexuality; and, separately, that local churches cannot choose which programs to donate to, or not to donate to, as the case may be.

A Catholic bishop continues his fight against new Mass translations. The Vatican refused to change its rules from incoming Anglican converts, saying clergy celibacy will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Saudi Arabia says the hajj must go on, swine flu or no. The Dalai Lama visited an area too close to Tibet for China’s comfort.