News
Desperate young Guatemalans try to reach the US even after horrific deaths of migrating relatives
By Giovanna Dell'orto — April 11, 2024
COMITANCILLO, Guatemala (AP) — Tens of thousands of youths from this region of Guatemala would rather take deadly risks than stay behind where they see no future.
Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid al-Fitr, but the festivities are marred by the war in Gaza
By Niniek Karmini and Andrew Wilks — April 11, 2024
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Preachers in their sermons called on people to pray for Muslims in Gaza who were suffering after six months of war.
For Irish Muslims, Eid al-Fitr is a ‘mixture of happiness and sadness,’ as all eyes on Gaza
By Indy Scholtens — April 10, 2024
DUBLIN (RNS) — ‘The mind can never be clear from the sadness over what is happening in Gaza,’ said a spokesperson for the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland.
Baptist leaders urge House Speaker Mike Johnson to support Ukrainian Christians
By Adelle M. Banks — April 10, 2024
(RNS) — ‘We believe that God has put you in this position “for such a time as this,”’ Southern Baptist and Ukrainian Baptist officials wrote the speaker.
As Trump hawks Bible, debate over ‘Christian America’ spreads outside church
By Bob Smietana — April 10, 2024
(RNS) — During the heyday of American churchgoing, some presidents sought to use religion to unite the country. In the age of Trump, it is one more thing to fight over.
Eid prayers held in a historic former mosque in northern Greece for the first time in 100 years
By Costas Kantouris — April 10, 2024
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Wednesday marked the first time since the 1920s that the building was being used for mass prayers during Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday at the end of the monthlong fasting period of Ramadan.
Pakistan deploys more than 100,000 police and paramilitary forces ahead of Eid al-Fitr
By Munir Ahmed — April 10, 2024
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The country has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent years, mostly claimed by Pakistani Taliban and separatists who mainly operate from the southwestern Baluchistan province.
Vatican’s top diplomat begins a 6-day visit to Vietnam aimed at normalizing relations
By Aniruddha Ghosal — April 10, 2024
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) —Vietnam described that appointment as a “historic moment,” underscoring a stronger relationship that could have implications in the future for the Holy See’s ties with China.
Transgender inclusion? World’s major religions take varying stances on policies toward trans people
By David Crary, Mariam Fam, and Deepa Bharath — April 10, 2024
(AP) – Around the world, major religions have diverse approaches to gender identity, and the inclusion or exclusion of transgender people. Some
New York Catholic Workers bring new growth with rooftop garden
By Fiona Murphy — April 9, 2024
(RNS) — Inspired by Pope Francis’ apostolic letter on ecology, a garden planned for the roof of the movement’s historic Maryhouse has attracted new attention to Dorothy Day’s Catholic service organization.
Dozens of Christians arrested after shutting down Senate lunch in protest of Gaza famine
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — April 9, 2024
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The protest, organized by Christians for a Free Palestine, followed a Communion service held on Capitol grounds.
For Christians raised in ‘high-control’ settings, elections may trigger religious trauma
By Kathryn Post — April 9, 2024
(RNS) — ‘Our bodies recognize that we’re being activated and pushed into trauma responses and that the same abusive techniques are being used on us,’ said author Tia Levings.
At Yale, Christian pastors sign a declaration opposing religious nationalism
By Yonat Shimron — April 9, 2024
(RNS) — The declaration commits Christian leaders to preaching on moral issues and rejecting a political movement it says is exploiting traditional values to undermine democracy.
For those with mixed families, Israel-Hamas war complicates already difficult terrain
By Tara Abhasakun — April 9, 2024
(RNS) — Since Oct. 7, writers who have both Palestinian and Jewish relatives are navigating polarizing arguments among family and friends as well as reexamining their own identities.
Conservative Christians praise Trump’s anti-abortion record but say he’s stopped short of the goal
By Holly Meyer and Tiffany Stanley — April 9, 2024
(AP) — As Republican-led states have outlawed or further restricted abortion, Democrats believe the fight over abortion rights helps them at the polls.
