Sep 19 Michigan city defends itself against accusations of favoring Muslim holidays over other faiths By Associated Press 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. Continue reading
Sep 12 Minnesota churches roiled by legal battle over ICE surveillance and right to protest By Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press 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. Continue reading
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
Jun 11 A Pentagon list overhaul puts Mormon church's Christian identity back in the spotlight By Deepa Bharath, Associated Press Utah U.S. Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis, both Republicans and Latter-day Saints, challenged the Pentagon’s exclusion of their faith from its list of Christian religions. Continue reading
May 25 Muslims begin the annual Hajj in sweltering heat against a backdrop of war concerns By Baraa Anwer, Mariam Fam, Associated Press The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, officially began Monday. Continue reading
May 22 What to know about the Hajj, Eid al-Adha and their significance to Muslims around the world By Mariam Fam, Associated Press Once a year, large numbers of Muslim pilgrims converge in Saudi Arabia, uniting in religious rituals and acts of worship as they perform the Hajj. Continue reading