Catholicism
Pope Francis visits female penitentiary on Holy Thursday
By Claire Giangravé — March 28, 2024
(RNS) — For the first time, all 12 people who had their feet washed by the pope were women.
An annual pilgrimage during Holy Week brings thousands of believers to Santuario de Chimayó in New Mexico, where they pray for healing and protection
By Brett Hendrickson — March 28, 2024
(The Conversation) — Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the Santuario de Chimayó throughout the year, but the pilgrimage during the week before the celebration of Easter is the high point.
Right-wing media descends into theological row over Israel-Hamas war
By Jack Jenkins — March 27, 2024
(RNS) — Over the weekend, right-wing pundits fiercely debated whether the phrase ‘Christ is King’ is antisemitic.
Study: Unaffiliated Americans are the only growing religious group
By Yonat Shimron — March 27, 2024
(RNS) — The Catholic Church saw the largest decline in religious affiliation of any religious group in 2023.
More than 140 global Christian leaders call for Gaza cease-fire in Holy Week letter
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — March 26, 2024
(RNS) — ‘We repent of the ways we have not stood alongside our Palestinian siblings in faithful witness in the midst of their grief, agony, and sorrow,’ the leaders wrote.
For Pope Francis and Vatican diplomats, peace in Ukraine more important than ideology
By Claire Giangravé — March 26, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The pope’s peace mission in Ukraine hasn’t failed, according to Vatican diplomacy experts.
Pope Francis skips Palm Sunday homily at start of busy Holy Week that will test his health
By Nicole Winfield — March 26, 2024
ROME (AP) — The Holy Week schedule is challenging for popes even under the best of circumstances.
Texas attorney general hates migrants more than he loves religious liberty
By Mark Silk — March 26, 2024
(RNS) — Annunciation House in El Paso is the case in point.
Threats to Catholic Charities staffers increase amid far-right anti-migrant campaign
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain and Jack Jenkins — March 22, 2024
(RNS) — Catholic Charities locations have become the target of far-right media personalities, conspiracy theorists and even members of Congress.
The politics of this Easter season
By Phyllis Zagano — March 22, 2024
(RNS) — The Christian celebration of new life comes as the world is flooded with ideas of death.
Belgian bishop defrocked 14 years after admitting to abusing nephew
By Nicole Winfield — March 22, 2024
ROME (AP) — The Vatican announcement that Francis had laicized Vangheluwe came a few months before the pope is due to visit Belgium, where the case would have been an unwelcome and problematic distraction.
Their children disappeared in Argentina’s dictatorship. These mothers have looked for them since
By MarÍa Teresa HernÁndez — March 22, 2024
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Nora Cortiñas' commitment sums up the driving force of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a human rights organization created by women whose children were kidnapped by the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983.
Can you be a feminist and a Catholic? A theologian argues it’s harder than ever.
By Claire Giangravé — March 21, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In a post #MeToo and #ChurchToo world, Catholic feminists struggle to find reasons to stay.
New Catholic Spanish language record label seeks to catch up to Christian industry
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — March 19, 2024
(RNS) — Inspired by Pope Francis’ call to 'go out,' Juan Delgado and Pedro Rubalcava launched Via Cantus in February 2023.
‘There are still so many things to do,’ Pope says in new memoir amid resignation rumors
By Claire Giangravé — March 19, 2024
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The new book, ‘Life: My Story Through History,’ is being published in Europe and the United States on the 11th anniversary of Pope Francis’ tenure at the helm of the Catholic Church.
