NEWS BRIEF
RNS-O’Brien-Resignation: Biden inauguration priest resigns as president of Santa Clara University in Northern California
(RNS) — The Rev. Kevin O’Brien, a Jesuit priest who presided over an inaugural Mass for President Joe Biden, has resigned as the president of Santa Clara University in Northern California after university officials said he engaged in behaviors “inconsistent” with Jesuit protocols. By Alejandra Molina. 510 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Folk-Healers: Separated by diaspora, modern-day healers divine the wisdom of their ancestors
(RNS) — A loose network of young healers, mystics and practitioners who call themselves the Southwest Asian and North African Hub, or SWANA for short, support each other as they research, reconstruct and catalog their cultures’ healing and spiritual practices. By Isaiah Murtaugh. 950 words (category: a, i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Prison-Courses: Christian higher ed courses in prisons continue, adapt amid COVID-19
(RNS) — Despite the elimination of prison visitations for many months of the coronavirus, some religious higher education institutions have found ways to stay connected with prisoners. Technology, correspondence courses and some recent re-openings have made that possible. By Emily McFarlan Miller and Adelle M. Banks. 1,400 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Missionary-Myanmar: “We cannot wait!” says Catholic missionary in Myanmar
(RNS) – On Sunday, Pope Francis will celebrate a mass for Myanmar Catholics in Rome on the feast of the Ascension, underlining his religious and diplomatic efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the troubled south-east Asian country. By Claire Giangravè. 1000 words. (category c)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Uyghur-UN: China challenges UN event focused on its Uyghur population
(RNS) — China faced condemnation from the United States and a handful of other UN member states at a United Nations event on Wednesday over its treatment of its Uyghur minority and other Turkic Muslim groups. The event sought to pressure Beijing to allow a United Nations human rights representative to visit the region to conduct an independent investigation. By Joseph Hammond. 575 words (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Clohessy-Oped: Biden must address Catholic sexual abuse crisis
(RNS) — This crisis first made national headlines more than 25 years ago. Yet U.S. abuse survivors have virtually never gotten a single official acknowledgement of their pain by any U.S. federal official anywhere. The nation’s second Catholic president should pardon those survivors whose pain has led them to behavior that put them in prison and urge Congress to hold hearings into this crisis and how similar horrors can be deterred. By David Clohessy. 600 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Barr-Oped: You’re right, Al Mohler, a downpour is coming
(RNS) — It is from the direction of liberal theology, I think, that Mohler sees the storm clouds gathering once again for the SBC — from those whom he believes have discounted the authority of Scripture as well as feminists who argue “biblical authors were flat wrong.” But I think Mohler is wrong. A narrow understanding of church history parallels the narrow vision the SBC has for women, and this limits Mohler’s perspective.