Catholicism
As US bishops reject exemptions, Pope Francis dubs COVID-19 vaccine ‘act of love’
By Claire Giangravé and Jack Jenkins — August 18, 2021
(RNS) — The declaration comes as U.S. Catholics debate religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Homeboy Industries takes ‘quantum leap’ in wake of funding bonanza
By Alejandra Molina — August 16, 2021
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — The nonprofit founded by Jesuit Father Gregory Boyle has received a $20 million gift from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and $15 million in funding from the state of California.
California Catholic bishop tells priests to decline vaccine exemption requests
By Alejandra Molina — August 13, 2021
(RNS) — San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy said Catholic social teaching doesn't justify a religious exemption to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
The climate apocalypse is real, and it is coming
By Thomas Reese — August 10, 2021
(RNS) — Concern for the environment can no longer be an optional or secondary aspect of Christianity. It must be central to who we are as Christians.
COVID-19, global warming and diminishing Catholic guilt
By Thomas Reese — August 4, 2021
(RNS) — Would that the pope could declare vaccine skeptics and climate-change deniers heretics and put their books, articles, Facebook pages and tweets on the Index of Forbidden Books.
Who gets to unplug the pope?
By Thomas Reese — July 27, 2021
(RNS) — Even a pope needs a medical directive.
RNS News Quiz: Ben & Jerry’s and Wally Funk
By Emily Churchill — July 23, 2021
(RNS) — Test your knowledge of the week's current events in the world of religion.
The Latin Mass is not going away soon
By Thomas Reese — July 20, 2021
(RNS) — But local bishops may now deny it to dissenters who oppose the reforms of Vatican II.
Thousands gather in California for unveiling of Lady of La Vang shrine
By Alejandra Molina — July 18, 2021
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (RNS) — 'It's like the Lady of Guadalupe for the Vietnamese community. That's how big it is,' said Deborah Tran.
Amid Catholic opposition, states are legalizing composting of human remains
By Alejandra Molina — July 12, 2021
(RNS) — Washington, Colorado and Oregon are now among the US states that have legalized the process of converting bodies into soil, a procedure the Catholic Church said fails to show 'respect for the body of the deceased.'
‘Apostles of Change’ tells how secular Latino activists protested by seizing sacred spaces
By Alejandra Molina — July 6, 2021
(RNS) — ‘We know very little about Latino and Latina religious leaders that were prophets, that were religious radicals — people who stood up to faith and justice,’ said historian Felipe Hinojosa.
Who are the Catholic bishops drafting the controversial Communion document?
By Jack Jenkins, Alejandra Molina, and Claire Giangravé — June 25, 2021
(RNS) — A look at the clerics tasked with penning a document many see as a rebuke of President Joe Biden.
‘Rebel Hearts’ film features defiant nuns ‘who stood up to the patriarchy of the Catholic Church’
By Alejandra Molina — June 25, 2021
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — A documentary commemorates the sisters of the religious order Immaculate Heart of Mary who entwined 'contemporary philosophies, modern psychology and women’s liberation movement into their work.'
In Central America, Kamala Harris ignored our best hope: Catholic bishops
By Thomas Reese — June 23, 2021
(RNS) — Vice President Kamala Harris made a huge mistake by not meeting with Catholic bishops during her visit to Central America. The bishops could be the administration’s strongest ally in fighting the corruption, crime and poverty that cause people to flee to the United States.
Catholic groups from Mexico, Central America and US ask bishops for support in helping migrants
By Alejandra Molina — June 18, 2021
(RNS) — ‘This moment requires a whole Church response that is regional, united, and robust,’ the groups said in a June 17 letter.
