NEWS STORY
RNS-Becciu-Pell: Cardinal Pell’s timely return to Rome fuels rumors of his restoration as finance sheriff
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Acquitted of sexual abuse charges in his native Australia, Pell’s reappearance has coincided with the resignation of his rival, Cardinal Antonio Becciu, who has been connected with questionable financial dealings. Speculation has begun that Pell may have returned to finish the job of reforming the Vatican’s often murky finances. By Clare Giangravé. 970 words. (category: i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-CHRISTIAN-NATIONALISM: How Christian nationalism, not politics, determines whether you wear a mask
(RNS) — A group of academics argue that how you respond to COVID-19 — from whether you wear a mask to whether you believe calling it the “China virus” is racist — can be best predicted by one thing: Christian nationalism. By Jack Jenkins. 960 words.
NEWS STORY
RNS-LATINOS-COVID: As Latinos cope with COVID-19 disparities, faith plays a central role
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — COVID-19’s impact on Latino communities across the United States is grim. As of Sept. 19, 359 per 100,000 Latino Americans had been hospitalized, compared to 78 per 100,000 in whites. COVID-19 related deaths are 61 per 100,000 among Latinos compared to 40 among whites. As Latinos deal with these disparities, many are turning to their faith communities for solace, and help. By Alejandra Molina. 950 words.
NEWS STORY
RNS-Church-Ladies: Sex, women and the Black church: Novelist reveals true-to-life secrets
(RNS) — Hours after learning her book, “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,” is a National Book Awards finalist, author Deesha Philyaw spoke to Religion News Service about growing up in the church, writing about affairs and what she thinks her late mother and grandmother would think of the book she would give an R rating. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,500 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Gehring-Oped: Why the Trump campaign is trying to claim the Catholic high ground
(RNS) — The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative Catholic woman, to the Supreme Court has sparked fresh debates over America’s centuries-old obsession with Catholic identity. But the Barrett hearings are only one skirmish in a broader confrontation the Trump administration is waging for the Catholic political soul. By John Gehring. 950 words. (category: k)
