In May 2024, a Catholic parish in Kiambu County, near the Kenyan capital Nairobi, made national headlines when it allowed a polygamous man to marry one of his wives in a church ceremony. The marriage ceremony happened while the other wife sat in the pews. The church agreed that Ndachu had to write a will dividing his estate equitably between both families.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In the end, Vance is a work in progress — as all Christians ought to be. The Veep never quite reconciled with his father before he died. But there’s a “second chance” with his long-troubled mother, now substance-free and happily part of the family circle doting on her grandkids.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Whether cities or villages, many communities across Europe spend the day and night of June 24 celebrating Midsummer. Congregating around bonfires, or sometimes maypoles, sporting handwoven wreaths of wildflowers or oak leaves, they’ll sing, jump, dance, eat, drink, catch up and celebrate the arrival of the longest day of the year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Ten years after “Hillbilly Elegy” catapulted its author into public view, JD Vance is publishing a new memoir, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.” The vice president explains the book as a sort of self-help guide for the spiritually lost: “… by sharing my journey I might be helpful to others — Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise — who are seeking reconciliation with God.”
Read MoreA low-budget movie, cheesy horror that is literally just “The Exorcist” meets “Speed” and whose theology is as thin as a communion wafer. In theory, this can be an opportunity for an actually really fun campy horror experience. Unfortunately, it’s far more interested in stale religious deconstruction than it is in classic scares.
Read More(ANALYSIS) G.K. Chesterton blended humor and philosophy; he turned belief into something wondrous, culturally alive, and fiercely imaginative. The man made God fun. That sounds like a modest achievement until you consider how desperately the task still needs doing, and how spectacularly everyone since has failed at it.
Read MoreWho is AI for and who is it leaving behind? Those were the central questions of Pope Leo’s first encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”). By addressing the challenge and comparing it to the Industrial Revolution, the pope positioned the Catholic Church not as a casual observer of the tech age change, but an active participant in shaping its future.
Read MoreThe Ugandan government has announced the postponement of this year’s Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations, scheduled for June 3, in response to an Ebola outbreak affecting both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has claimed over 130 lives thus far.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The general admonition is the same in many faith communities: Try to marry someone who shares your faith background. That’s certainly a well-established norm in Jewish communities.
Read MoreThe Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will not reconsider its landmark 1990 religious freedom decision that lower courts cited in a Colorado dispute over Catholic preschools and LGBTQ families, but it will hear arguments over how that ruling applies in the case.
Read MoreEvery year, between late May and early June, something happens on the 43-mile road to the Catholic sanctuary of Popenguine, outside Dakar, that is unremarkable in Senegal and extraordinary almost anywhere else in Africa or the world: Muslim youth walk the route alongside their Christian peers.
Read MoreA new report from the Pew Research Center found that religious radio stations remain ubiquitous — with 98% of U.S. adults living within the local coverage area of at least one of them. The report found that an “overwhelming majority” of those stations are Christian. Despite the rise of digital media, 45% of U.S. adults say they’ve listened to religious programming on the radio.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The NCAA men’s basketball tournament once again features a strong group of religiously affiliated schools, particularly those with Catholic and Protestant traditions. These programs bring a mix of championship expectations and underdog potential into this season’s March Madness. The action all starts with a glut of first round games.
Read More(ANALYSIS) “Write what you know,” is advice given to many who feel inspired to take up the pen — or, these days, sit at a computer. When it comes to writing about religion, though, including the Catholic Church, it’s amazing how little some writers know (including those who are Catholic themselves). This is evident, where scenes depict liturgies or other expressions of faith and get them wrong.
Read More(ESSAY) Lou Holtz’s story was about more than football. The sideline antics, his gravelly voice and the championships made him one of the most recognizable men in college football. To measure Holtz only by wins and trophies would miss the deeper truth about him. His life was built on something stronger — a Catholic faith that shaped nearly every decision he made.
Read MoreDuring the Winter Olympics outreach in Milan, over 100 Southern Baptist volunteers shared the Gospel using Olympic-themed pins and QR codes. Conversations in areas packed with tourists sparked global interest, amplified by social media, leading to thousands of spiritual discussions with local and international visitors alike.
Read MoreHe doesn’t look a day over 104. James C. Turro turned 104 years old on Jan. 26 — and now is believed to hold the title of oldest priest in the Archdiocese of Newark — and likely the oldest Catholic cleric in all the United States. Over the decades, he’s become a beloved figure.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, his body will be displayed for the first time ever in February, at the Basilica of San Francesco. Millions of visitors are expected to converge in the small Tuscan town of Assisi to honor the 13th-century saint.
Read MoreA recent New York Times feature noted that quarterback Fernando Mendoza, before helping change University of Indiana football history, excelled at Belen Jesuit, an all-boys Catholic school in Miami, and then Miami Columbus High, another all-boys Catholic school. Oh, and his mother was a star athlete at Lourdes Academy, an all-girls Catholic school.
Read MoreDid a touch of the divine play a key role in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dramatic AFC North title clincher? Steelers fans — especially if you’re Catholic — certainly believe so. Father Maximilian Maxwell sprinkled holy water in one end zone — the same one where Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed as time ran out.
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