Daniel Burke
Daniel Burke worked for Religion News Service from 2006-2013. He now co-edits CNN's Belief Blog.
All Stories by Daniel Burke
Vatican Indulgence to Mark 150 Years of Lourdes
By Daniel Burke — December 6, 2007
Pope Benedict XVI is granting the plenary indulgences for the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes. “The forthcoming 150th anniversary of the day in which Mary Most Holy, revealing herself as the Immaculate Conception to Bernadette Soubirous, wished a shrine to be erected and venerated in the […]
Magic Garden Indeed
By Daniel Burke — December 6, 2007
Reuter’s has word of some Holy Smoke blowing in a Greek nunnery. Seems two men posed as gardeners to help the sisters plant their garden. While there, they surreptitiously planted some 30 cannabis (aka weed, pot, ganja, dope, the funky stuff, wacky tobacky … you get the point) plants. “The nuns did not know what […]
Archdiocese of New York and the Color of Abuse
By Daniel Burke — December 6, 2007
The Catholic Archdiocese of New York is handing our coloring books to kids to warn them about sexual predators, (You can interpret this picture on your own). New York says its the first effort of its kind in the U.S. In the coloring book, a perky guardian angel tells children not to keep secrets from […]
Not Everyone (Hearts) Huckabee
By Daniel Burke — December 6, 2007
The first signs of a Mike Huckabee backlash have emerged, not long after the former Arkansas governor took the lead in an influential Iowa poll. A Washington Post editorial raises questions about TrustHuckabee, a group of pushpollers with shady financial and political ties. And columnist Richard Cohen says Huckabee, by running as a “Christian leader” […]
Cardinal Says He Was Assaulted Over Sex Abuse
By Daniel Burke — December 6, 2007
Numerous news outlets are reporting today that Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles told priests that he was assaulted by a man shouting angry statements about the sexual abuse of children. The cardinal described being approached last July by an unidentified man outside Our Lady of Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles, said the Rev. […]
Ideas for Bodhi Day
By Daniel Burke — December 5, 2007
Many of you may know that Sat. December 8 is Bodhi Day, when Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s enlightenment. It’s a big deal in Asia, where you’ll see Buddhist families, particularly in Japan, stringing colored lights on ficus trees (must be something about this time of year that makes people want to illuminate, perhaps the pervasive […]
The Year in Review
By Daniel Burke — December 5, 2007
United Methodist News Service has a nice year-ender on all the doings in their denomination during 2007. In edition to all the work they do with peace and justice, as well as disaster relief, UMNS noted that the church’s U.S. membership declined by about 1 percent, while worldwide membership, particularly in Africa and Asia, was […]
Flap Over Falwell Endorsement
By Daniel Burke — December 5, 2007
Church-state watchdog group Americans United for Separation of Church and State wants the IRS to look into Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Fallwell Jr.’s endorsement of Mike Huckabee for president. In a complaint filed with the federal tax agency, Americans United noted that Falwell hosted the candidate at Liberty University and then sent an email message […]
Ace in the Hole
By Daniel Burke — December 5, 2007
As America’s governors turn their lonely eyes to slot machines to stem budget deficits, numerous religious leaders (a la Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston) have rallied and cited moral arguments against the gambling proposals. But gambling actually has quite a role in Jewish and Christian history, says Boston College professor Dwayne Carpenter, and it ain’t […]
Atheists Say Pope Needs a History Lesson
By Daniel Burke — December 4, 2007
American Atheists, Inc. say Pope Benedict XVI blames atheism for “the greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice,” in his new encyclical “Spe salvi,” while missing the mote in his church’s own eye. “Benedict needs to go back to school and study history,” said Ellen Johnson,President of American Atheists. “The most noxious and oppressive […]
Update: Cross Can Go from LA County Seal
By Daniel Burke — December 4, 2007
The AP tells us the Supreme Court has declined to get involved in an ongoing spat over the cross in the old LA County seal. The crosses were added to symbolize the area’s Catholic mission past, but some objected, calling it an improper government sponsorship of religion. They were removed in 2004. Interestingly, when the […]
New meaning to the term “leather-bound”
By Daniel Burke — December 4, 2007
The BBC tells us that a rare 17th century book, believed to be bound with the skin of a Jesuit priest, has found a new owner-for a cool 5,400 pounds, or nearly $11,000. The book’s cover is said to contain an image of the Jesuit, Henry Garnet, who was executed for his role in Guy […]
Diocese to pay $37M more to abuse survivors
By Daniel Burke — December 4, 2007
The Davenport Catholic Diocese and its insurance carriers have agreed to a $37 million bankruptcy reorganization plan that will benefit approximately 156 people who say clergy and other diocesan personnel sexually abused them, lawyers for the victims said this morning, reports the Des Moines Register. The most interesting part of the settlement, for sure for […]
Fox Buys Beliefnet
By Daniel Burke — December 4, 2007
Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) today announced its acquisition of Beliefnet, a Web site that enables consumers to better understand their faith and build diverse spiritual communities by providing content and tools for a broad range of religions and spiritual approaches. Beliefnet, the largest online faith and spirituality destination, will become part of Fox Digital Media, […]
KJS Tells 3rd Bishop: Step Back from the Brink
By Daniel Burke — December 4, 2007
The Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has written her third letter to a conservative bishop who has moved his diocese to the canonical outskirts of the Episcopal Church. Last December, Bishop Jon-David Schofield and his San Joaquin, Calif. diocese, voted to make some changes to their diocesan constitution, basically eliminating the sections that […]
