NEWS STORY
RNS-Catholic-Megachurch: Largest Catholic parish in US being built in ‘heart of California’s dairy industry’
VISALIA, Calif. (RNS) — With an estimated $18.5 million price tag, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church will seat 3,200 people, encompass approximately 33,000 square feet and is expected to open this coming spring. The church is being built in Visalia, a city in Tulare County, and Catholic leaders there are hailing it as the largest U.S. parish in terms of seating capacity. By Alejandra Molina. 1,275 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-WELCOME-US: Former US presidents, religious leaders launch organization to aid Afghan evacuees
(RNS) — Three former presidents and first ladies have joined with religious leaders, faith-based refugee resettlement agencies and others to support Welcome.US, a new national organization with the goal of making it easier to help Afghan evacuees arriving in the United States. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 700 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-LOCKE-BAN:Twitter bids farewell to Greg Locke, pro-Trump and anti-vaxxer Tennessee pastor, with permanent ban
(RNS) — Controversial Tennessee pastor Greg Locke, known for preaching about COVID and election conspiracy theories, is permanently banned from Twitter.
By Bob Smietana. 660 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Pope-Slovakia: In Slovakia, Pope Francis injects courage in young generations
(RNS) – Pope Francis’ second day in Slovakia focused on the new generations, encouraging them to embrace love and heroism and not be discouraged by those who tell them things will never change. By Claire Giangravè. 800 words. (category i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Cho-Death: Korean pastor David Yonggi Cho, founder of one of the world’s largest churches, has died
(RNS) — The founder of a Korean megachurch that claims more than 700,000 members died Tuesday at 85. The Rev. Cho Yong-gi, known in the United States as David Yonggi Cho, grew the Yoido Full Gospel Church from a congregation meeting in a tent to what was at one time the world’s largest congregation. By Bob Smietana. 500 words. (category: i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Women-Deacons: Blocked from serving their church, Catholic women push for female deacons
(RNS) — Casey Stanton wanted to serve as a chaplain at a women’s prison a few years ago.
But as a Catholic woman she could not represent her church there in any official capacity because the state of North Carolina requires chaplains in its state prison system to be ordained. Stanton co-founded Discerning Deacons, an organization that urges conversation in the Catholic Church around ordaining women deacons. By Yonat Shimron. 900 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Julius-Jones: Faith leaders backing Okla. death row inmate hail parole board’s commutation request
(RNS) — Religious leaders and death penalty opponents are cheering the 3-1 decision of an Oklahoma parole board to recommend commutation of the sentence of Julius Jones, who has been on death row for two decades. By Adelle M. Banks. 800 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Reese-Oped: Pope calls on world to welcome refugees and immigrants
(RNS) — This is Pope Francis at his prophetic best. He is standing up for the marginalized who have been bloodied by war, starved by famine and displaced by persecution. Nor is he speaking out only for his own flock — most of these refugees and immigrants are non-Christians. By Thomas Reese. 763 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Dorhauer-Oped: Bishop Spong: Theology without limit or bound
(RNS) — To his dying day he remained one whose light shone in many corridors. His kind and compassionate spirit uplifted many hearts. He spoke his words without apology — always inviting the church to grow beyond its current assumptions about its capacity to do so. He was responsible only to the truth he came to know in the God and Jesus whom he worshipped. By John C. Dorhauer. 1,047 words. (category: k)
