Eight of the 10 U.S. missionaries accused of trying to smuggle orphans out of Haiti have been released and are now in Florida; two others were held for further questioning (Reuters photo, left).

The San Francisco Chronicle is asking why President Obama says he’s against same-sex marriage, even though 14 years ago he seemed to support it. New Hampshire legislators, meanwhile, have defeated back-to-back attempts to repeal the state’s gay marriage law.

The pope’s apology to Irish sex abuse victims is ringing hollow with some victims stateside, NPR tell us. A new wrinkle in that “odious” Ugandan law that would imprison gays and lesbians: one Ugandan pastor is showing gay porn at his church in an attempt to rally support for the measure. The NYT says the debate in Malaysia over whether non-Muslims can use the term “Allah” for God may actually be more about politics than religion.

Chicago Cardinal Francis George reportedly wants to revive the granting of the title “Monsignor” to some priests — he hasn’t done it in his 13 years in the Windy City — even though some priests say the competition for the title can create a rivalry among priests.

Some French politicians are blasting a fast-food chain for serving only halal meat at eight franchises that attract a mostly Muslim clientele. In this country, politicians in Buncombe County, N.C., will be giving the opening prayers at commission meetings instead of local clergy, despite a judge’s order that similar practices in Forsythe County were unconstitutional.

A dead New Jersey man (who was born, but didn’t live as an Orthodox Jew) will be disinterred so his remains can be cremated; that’s what Irving Gottesman had wished, but his Orthodox brother, Bert, had him buried before Irving’s love-interest could make the necessary arrangements.

NPR’s Barbara Bradley Hagerty has a look at the future of the Unification Church now that founder Sun Myung Moon seems to be in the twilight of his ministry. Episcopalians in St. Paul, Minn., are trying to translate the Book of Common Prayer into Hmong for the denomination’s only Hmong-speaking congregation.

Lent finds more people turning to spiritual directors for guidance, Ann Rodgers reports from Pittsburgh. After all their (regular) Mardi Gras partying and (extraordinary) Super Bowl festivities, many in New Orleans say they’re ready for the quiet of Lent. We’ll see how long that lasts.