California
Man kills 3 daughters, 1 other, himself at California church
By Kathleen Ronayne and Christopher Weber — March 1, 2022
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Investigators believe the shooting happened during a supervised visit with the children and that the fourth victim was their chaperone.
California bill could make it easier for houses of faith to build affordable housing
By Alejandra Molina — February 28, 2022
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, a Democrat in Oakland, introduced a piece of legislation on Feb. 16 that would reduce residential parking requirements for newly built religious institutions to allow for the construction of housing.
Houses of faith are building affordable housing on their properties
By Alejandra Molina — February 23, 2022
(RNS) — The national nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners on Wednesday (Feb. 23) announced $8.5 million in grants from the Wells Fargo Foundation to help houses of worship convert underutilized land into affordable homes and community facilities.
Claremont School of Theology ordered to offer land to neighboring universities
By Alejandra Molina — January 27, 2022
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — At the center of the dispute is an agreement reached in 1957, when the Claremont Colleges sold the seminary land to relocate in Claremont, a city about 30 miles east of Los Angeles.
California to delete Mayan, Ifá affirmations from ethnic studies to settle lawsuit
By Alejandra Molina — January 20, 2022
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — By deleting the affirmations, state officials say they are affirming their ‘long-standing commitment to ensuring appropriate treatment of religion in a secular public education context.’
Kin of dead sex abuse victim sue under new California law
By Brian Melley — January 12, 2022
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After decades of dealing with the boyhood trauma of being molested by a priest, Jim Bartko sued the Roman Catholic church two years ago. But the lawsuit was dismissed when he died four days after speaking publicly about it. A new law has now revived his case, allowing his estate to […]
Islamic-friendly comic book content finds a growing audience
By Joseph Hammond — December 29, 2021
(RNS) — 'I just knew there would be interests in dynamic storytelling outside of the superheroes, wizards and dragons out there,' said the founder of Fictional Frontiers, an initiative seeking to support Muslim writers and illustrators.
Residents fear sale of Monastery of the Angels, beloved Hollywood home to cloistered nuns
By Alejandra Molina — December 10, 2021
HOLLYWOOD (RNS) — Los Angeles residents say the monastery is 'loved by people of all faiths' and represents 'kindness in an ocean of distraction, indifference and preoccupation.'
Court lifts block, allowing San Diego schools’ vaccine mandate to go forward
By Alejandra Molina — December 6, 2021
(RNS) — 'The 9th Circuit agreed San Diego Unified is acting in the best interest of students, as opposed to discriminating on the basis of religion, as the plaintiffs had claimed,' the district said in a statement.
Court temporarily blocks San Diego schools’ vaccine mandate after suit filed by 16-year-old
By Alejandra Molina — November 29, 2021
(RNS) — The Ninth District Court of Appeals on Sunday (Nov. 28) temporarily blocked San Diego Unified School District’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate from taking effect, one day before students were required to have their first dose.
Human trafficking suit spreads to Hindu temples in 5 states
By David Porter — November 11, 2021
A lawsuit in which workers accuse a Hindu organization of human trafficking by luring them from India to build a temple in New Jersey for as little as $1.20 a day has widened to four other states. In the initial lawsuit filed in May, workers at a Hindu temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, claimed leaders […]
Bishops seek answers in vandalism of churches and Catholic symbols
By Alejandra Molina — November 8, 2021
(RNS) — 'Did they single out the Catholic Church, or is it simply that our symbols of religion are so visible that they make an easy target?' said Aaron M. Weldon, of the USCCB's Office of Religious Liberty.
Supreme Court won’t hear case involving transgender rights
By Associated Press — November 1, 2021
The high court turned away the case Monday without comment, as is typical. Three conservative justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch — said they would have heard the case.
Mark Labberton hopes his successor at Fuller will be a woman or a person of color
By Alejandra Molina — October 28, 2021
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — 'I think in this next chapter the president should certainly be, I hope, at least a full generation younger and different from me than we've had in the past — in either race or gender,' said Mark Labberton, president of Fuller Theological Seminary.
California bishops should ask, ‘What would Junipero Serra do?’
By Thomas Reese — October 28, 2021
(RNS) — Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest canonized by Pope Francis in 2015, has become the center of a firestorm in California where he was a Spanish missionary for 15 years beginning in 1768.
