SILAD, Mexico (RNS) Times have changed to such a degree in Mexico that politicians now seek out the pope and prelates for support. Even so, the hostility of some in Mexico City shows how far the relationship has yet to go between Mexico and the Catholic Church. By David Agren.

(RNS) A new movie confronts a controversial topic by highlighting two words that don't typically go together: abortion and survivor. By Annalisa Musarra. 475. With photos.

WASHINGTON (RNS) The Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention remained the two largest U.S. churches in 2011, but both posted a decline of less than 1 percent, the fourth year in a row for Southern Baptists. By Annalisa Musarra.

(RNS) One year ago, more than 20 state legislatures had either passed or were considering bills that prohibited judges from considering Islamic law, known as Shariah, in their decisions. But the anti-Shariah juggernaut has stumbled in recent weeks. By Omar Sacirbey.

(RNS) Days after lethal shootings of Jewish children in France, a new study shows rising rates of anti-Semitism in Europe. By Lauren Markoe.

(RNS) Do not confuse the film "Blue Like Jazz" with Christian movies like "Fireproof" or "Courageous." "We wanted to show that movies about the faith struggle that millions of Americans deal with don't have to be cheesy," says Donald Miller, the Christian author whose book of the same name was adapted for the big screen. By Rebecca Cusey. 800.

(RNS) A pair of scissors transported across state lines in a series of beard-cutting attacks on the Amish have emerged as a controversial element in Ohio's first case under a landmark 2009 federal law that expanded government powers to prosecute hate crimes. By Harlan Spector.

WASHINGTON (RNS) Religious groups are mobilizing against a proposed budget released Tuesday by House GOP leaders, saying it makes unfair cuts in social programs while lowering tax rates for wealthy Americans. By Annalisa Musarra.

PARIS (RNS) As schools across France marked a moment of silence for the victims of a shooting outside a Jewish school that left four people dead, many ordinary French -- especially Jews and Muslims -- are grappling for answers. By Elizabeth Bryant. 725.

WASHINGTON (RNS) Turkey stands as a new and controversial addition to an annual list of the worst offenders of religious freedom released Tuesday (March 20) by the U.S. Commission on International Religious. By Lauren Markoe.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Following a yearlong investigation into decades of rampant abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, the Vatican on Tuesday (March 20) called for more rigorous screening of would-be priests and compulsory child protection classes in seminaries. By Alessandro Speciale.

CLEVELAND (RNS) Catholics fighting church closings across the country are keeping their eyes on the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, where Bishop Richard Lennon's closure of 13 churches was overturned by the Vatican.Copies of the decrees are circulating electronically throughout the U.S. and even in Canada. By Michael O'Malley.

(RNS) Thousands of nonbelievers will gather this Saturday (March 24) on the National Mall for the "Reason Rally," a daylong event to "unify, energize and embolden secular people nationwide." By Kimberly Winston.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The 13 Cubans who occupied a church in Central Havana left after being assured they wouldn't be detained by police, and the incident shows the challenges that Pope Benedict XVI will find in Cuba this weekend. By Alessandro Speciale.

ST. LOUIS (RNS) Wading into tricky church-state territory, a judge has upheld an independent-minded Catholic church's ownership of its property and its right to craft bylaws that limit the authority of the Roman Catholic Church over its governance. By Tim Townsend.