(RNS) Gabrielle Douglas, who walked away with the gold at the London Olympics, talks about her prayer life, her love of matzo ball soup and overcoming homesickness to make it to the Olympics. By Adelle M. Banks.

Mainline Protestantism and Catholicism in America rise together, hold steady together, and decline together. The reasons for the decline may vary, from group to group, but few in church life have it easy today. “Decline,” it turns out, is contagious.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI on Friday promoted his personal secretary to head of the papal household, giving Monsignor Georg Gaenswein even larger influence in organizing the aging pontiff's schedule and meetings. By Alessandro Speciale.

PASADENA, Calif. (RNS) Leaders of a flagship progressive Episcopal church are defending themselves against charges of sympathy for terrorists in their decision to host the annual Muslim Public Affairs Council convention. By Megan Sweas.

(RNS) Ayelet Waldman isn't shy about sharing her true feelings about the upcoming Jewish festival of lights. "I loathe Hanukkah,'' she says. She's not alone: Some Jews, tired of the "December Dilemma'' and competing with Christmas, would prefer to avoid all the fuss. By Beth Kissileff.

JERUSALEM (RNS) Five Jerusalem eateries have filed suit against the city’s local Chief Rabbinate, saying kosher certification rules are expensive, unwieldy and inconsistent. By Michele Chabin.

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Tuesday (Dec. 4) urged Uganda to scrap a controversial draft law that would send gays and lesbians to jail and, some say, put them at risk of the death penalty. By Fredrick Nzwili.

(RNS) A new survey shows that nearly a year after the Catholic Church introduced a new Mass translation, worshippers have by and large accepted – and even welcomed – the changes. By David Gibson.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) After more than seven years as pope, Benedict XVI is still known as much for the public relations nightmares that have occurred on his watch as for the battle against secularism and relativism that he wants to wage. Now the pontiff has a Twitter feed and the Vatican has a plan to overhaul its antiquated communications apparatus. By David Gibson.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI has directed bishops around the world to exercise tighter controls on Catholic charities, issuing a new set of rules that also aims to strengthen the organizations' Catholic identity. By Alessandro Speciale.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican has unveiled Pope Benedict XVI's official Twitter account and announced plans to launch an official papal app for smartphones. By Alessandro Speciale

SIMSBURY, Conn. (RNS) At age 75, Betty Holden in on a crusade to repair broken rosaries. She's been at it for almost 20 years, spending several hours a day behind a pair of needle-nose pliers. By Ann Marie Somma.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) A Vatican computer expert who was convicted of aiding and abetting the pope's former butler in the Vatileaks scandal has dropped his appeal. By Alessandro Speciale.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) The former rector of the nation's largest Episcopal church has become a Roman Catholic. By Greg Garrison. 

CANTERBURY, England (RNS) A key panel within the Church of England has said church leaders must find a way to hold a second vote next summer to allow women to serve as bishops. By Trevor Grundy.