NEW ORLEANS (RNS) A group of Catholic monks who sued for the right to sell handmade caskets will head back to court this week, this time fending off an appeal from the state funeral industry after a federal judge ruled last year that the monks should be able to sell the caskets. By Ramon Antonio Vargas.

ST. LOUIS (RNS) Until recently, many Muslims buried their loved ones in Muslim sections of Christian cemeteries, relying largely on non-Muslims to guide them through the process of death. As the Muslim population has grown, so has the need for Muslim-specific services like funeral homes and cemeteries. By Tim Townsend.