Latin America
In crime-stricken Haiti, Catholic priests and nuns are targeted as kidnap victims
By Eduardo Campos Lima — April 1, 2024
SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Kidnappings by criminal gangs have continued to terrorize the country's residents, not least Catholic priests and other missionaries. In 2024 alone, at least 14 priests and religious brothers and sisters were abducted.
Surviving persecution and a civil war, Maya spirituality finds new footing
By Emily Neil — August 3, 2023
(RNS) — Practitioners of the ancient Central American faith are hopeful that young Maya Guatemalans will continue to seek out and embrace their spiritual heritage.
Events in Bolivia and Brazil may signal a turning point for the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse crisis in Latin America
By Matthew Casey-Pariseault — June 16, 2023
(The Conversation) — Public outrage over alleged abuse has been muted in much of Latin America for years, partly because the church remains one of the region’s most powerful institutions – but that may be changing.
Who is at the manger? Nativity sets around the world show each culture’s take on the Christmas story
By Kayla Harris and Neomi De Anda — December 24, 2022
(The Conversation) — The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to mankind. As holiday decorations show, Christians around the world often picture him in their own cultures.
After 50 years, ‘liberation theology’ is still reshaping Catholicism and politics – but what is it?
By Leo Guardado — December 14, 2022
(The Conversation) — The influential movement, which is still controversial both inside and outside Catholicism, must be understood in the context of Latin American history.
Young Colombian activist brings light to the displaced communities
By Magdalena Rojo — September 30, 2022
(RNS) — Jenifer Colpas Fernández had to leave her native Colombia to recognize its problems — and to see that there were solutions.
In Central America, Kamala Harris ignored our best hope: Catholic bishops
By Thomas Reese — June 23, 2021
(RNS) — Vice President Kamala Harris made a huge mistake by not meeting with Catholic bishops during her visit to Central America. The bishops could be the administration’s strongest ally in fighting the corruption, crime and poverty that cause people to flee to the United States.
With 9 new electors, Pope Francis remakes the college of cardinals
By Thomas Reese — October 25, 2020
(RNS) Over seven years, Pope Francis has gradually remade the college of cardinals, making it less European and more African and Asian.
Celebrating new religious freedom law, Bolivian evangelicals push for more
By Eduardo Campos Lima — July 29, 2019
(RNS) — The new law marks a turning point for Protestant denominations that have historically tended to keep their distance from politics.
Despite deaths of its chief promoters, Mexican cult of Santa Muerte prospers
By Jair Cabrera Torres — July 5, 2019
SANTA ANA CHAPITIRO, Mexico (RNS) — The image of death has loomed over Mexican music, dance and literature for centuries. A new addition is the cult of Santa Muerte, which has become increasingly popular in the past two decades.
As Venezuela refugee crisis builds, church struggles to carry out pope’s call
By Eduardo Campos Lima — April 11, 2019
SAO PAULO (RNS) — The flow of refugees has overwhelmed efforts to meet Pope Francis' call to provide 'hospitality and acceptance' for immigrants.
Buddhist monk finds a digital road to the Latino world
By Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil — January 7, 2019
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Social media is helping to fuel Latin America's budding interest in Buddhism.
Ahead of abortion bill vote, Argentina’s Catholic Church moderates its tone
By Veronica Gimenez Beliveau — August 8, 2018
(The Conversation) — The Catholic Church’s response in the face of a groundswell of support from Argentine women seems to be a model for how it is responding to social issues worldwide.
Francis cardinals make up almost half of electors of next pope
By Thomas Reese — May 22, 2018
(RNS) — Pope Francis continues to remake the College of Cardinals so that almost half of the men who will choose his successor have been chosen by him.
Brazilian women break taboo to talk about illegal abortions
By Cathy Lynn Grossman — January 4, 2018
(AP) Women are going public to build support for reproductive rights, which are tightly restricted in heavily Catholic and evangelical Brazil.
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