World Oct 02 Hegseth creates a Pentagon Office of Religious Affairs that reports directly to him By Tiffany Stanley, Associated Press
World Sep 27 Pope blasts assisted dying as 'false compassion' at French shrine known for miraculous cures On the third day of his visit to France, Leo again waded into the end-of-life debate unfolding in his native U.S. and countries around the world. By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press
World Sep 26 Pope Leo draws 800,000 people to central Paris for open-air Mass on iconic square The turnout testified to the church’s lasting influence in France despite declining attendance and secularizing trends that have emptied churches across Europe. By Nicole Winfield, Samuel Petrequin, Sylvie Corbet, John Leicester, Associated Press
Nation Sep 19 Michigan city defends itself against accusations of favoring Muslim holidays over other faiths A statement from the Detroit suburb issued by a spokesperson came in response to a lawsuit on Thursday that accused the city and its mayor of spending thousands of dollars to celebrate Muslim holidays while ignoring Christian and Jewish holidays. By Associated Press
Nation Sep 12 Minnesota churches roiled by legal battle over ICE surveillance and right to protest Court cases involving Twin Cities churches and immigration enforcement highlight how the acrimonious debate continues to roil faith communities more than six months since the federal surge turned Minnesota into a symbol of defiance of the Trump administration’s policies. By Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press
Jul 04 Pope marks July 4 by praying in Lampedusa for migrants who died seeking freedom and prosperity By Nicole Winfield, Andrea Rosa, Associated Press In a letter sent to Americans on the July 4 anniversary, Leo insisted that protecting the unborn and all human life also means “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of… Continue reading
Jul 02 Vatican excommunicates schismatic bishops and priests, and warns their followers By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press The Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist group that consecrated bishops without the pope’s consent, declaring the Society of St. Pius X had formally broken with the Catholic Church. Continue reading
Jul 01 Defying Pope Leo XIV, traditionalists go ahead with bishop consecrations in Switzerland By Jamey Keaten, Nicole Winfield, Associated Press A group of traditionalist Catholics directly defied Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday by consecrating four bishops without his consent, dismissing the resulting excommunications and break with the Holy See by saying it was necessary to defend the Catholic faith. Continue reading
Jun 23 Supreme Court rules Rastafari man can't sue Louisiana prison officials who cut his dreadlocks By Mark Sherman, Associated Press While justices condemned what happened to the former inmate, they ruled that a federal law designed to protect the religious rights of inmates does not permit lawsuits for money damages even when rights are violated. Continue reading
Jun 20 Pope Leo XIV exalts first American saint Cabrini as a model for Christians for her care of migrants By Nicole Winfield, Brian Hendrie, Associated Press Leo, who has clashed with the Trump administration over its migrant crackdown, urged young people in particular to learn about Cabrini’s life and service, once again confirming history’s first U.S. pope as the heir to Pope Francis in prioritizing the… Continue reading