Pope promotes ‘humanitarian corridors’ for asylum-seekers
March 18, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis met Saturday with thousands of refugees and charity groups hosting them in Italy as he sought to promote legal migration routes to Europe as an alternative to smuggling operations that he said have turned the Mediterranean Sea into a “cemetery.”
Vatican closes embassy in Nicaragua after Ortega’s crackdown
March 18, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican said Saturday it had closed its embassy in Nicaragua after the country's government proposed suspending diplomatic relations, the latest episode in a yearslong crackdown on the Catholic Church by the administration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
Mormon Church gives water to boost imperiled Great Salt Lake
March 17, 2023 GMTSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donating a small reservoir's worth of water rights to Utah's Great Salt Lake.
2nd Vatican official says pope OK’d ransom payments for nun
March 17, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — A second high-ranking Holy See official told a Vatican court on Friday that Pope Francis had authorized spending hundreds of thousands of euros in ransom payments to try to free a nun who was kidnapped by al-Qaida-linked militants in Mali.
Librarian fired for ‘unkind pushback’ at conservative event
March 17, 2023 GMTHENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A library director in Tennessee has been fired after the actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron accused him of “unkind pushback” to visiting celebrities during a conservative event last month, officials said.
Vatican unveils new ethnographic display of Rwanda screens
March 16, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican Museums officially reopened its African and American ethnographic collections Thursday by showcasing intricately restored Rwandan raffia screens that were sent by Catholic missionaries to the Vatican for a 1925 exhibit.
Pope sought to lose ‘as little as possible’ in London deal
March 16, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis gave clear indications to get out of a disastrous London real estate deal by saying the Vatican must “start over and lose as little money as possible," an exit strategy that eventually involved paying off a broker 15 million euros, the Holy See’s No.
Russia OKs alternative civil service for mobilized believer
March 16, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Russia on Thursday affirmed the right of a man mobilized to fight in Ukraine to perform an alternative form of civil service due to his stated religious beliefs, setting a precedent that could persuade more reluctant draftees to try to get out of military service.
US tribes get bison as they seek to restore bond with animal
March 16, 2023 GMTGOLDEN, Colo. (AP) — Dozens of bison from a mountain park outside Denver were transferred Wednesday to several tribes from across the Great Plains, in the latest example of Native Americans reclaiming stewardship over animals their ancestors lived alongside for millennia.
Texas judge in abortion pill case is a conservative favorite
March 15, 2023 GMTNY diocese facing flood of lawsuits files for bankruptcy
March 15, 2023 GMTALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The embattled Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany became the latest diocese in New York to seek bankruptcy protection Wednesday as it faces hundreds of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse.
‘Nazi’ references: BBC sportscaster’s tweet revives debate
March 15, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The references seem endless, and they can come from anywhere. In recent days, Pope Francis compared Nicaragua's repression of Catholics to Adolf Hitler's rule in Germany. In Britain, a BBC sportscaster likened the nation's asylum policy to 1930s Germany, resulting in his brief suspension and a national uproar.
Austrian police: Possible threat to Vienna places of worship
March 15, 2023 GMTVIENNA (AP) — Austrian police warned Wednesday of a possible “Islamist-motivated attack” in Vienna against churches and other houses of worship, citing undisclosed information received by the country's intelligence service.
Videos show scattered protests during Iran’s fire festival
March 15, 2023 GMTDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranians have held scattered anti-government protests during an annual fire festival with ancient roots, according to videos circulating online.
The videos appeared to show protesters in different cities chanting against the country's ruling clerics and hurling firecrackers at security forces during celebrations of Chaharshanbe Soori, which took place on Tuesday.
Catholic system pulls out of Connecticut hospital merger
March 15, 2023 GMTPUTNAM, Conn. (AP) — A Catholic-run health care system has withdrawn its application to affiliate with Day Kimball Healthcare, an independent, financially struggling hospital and health care system in northeastern Connecticut.
Polish Church defends John Paul sainthood after abuse claims
March 14, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — The leaders of Poland’s Catholic Church on Tuesday defended the late John Paul II’s sainthood and fast-track canonization process in response to a Polish TV report alleging that he covered up clergy sex abuses while archbishop in Poland.
1 victim’s life still in danger after Hamburg shooting
March 14, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — One victim's life is still in danger after last week's shooting at a Jehovah's Witness hall in Hamburg in which a former member of the congregation killed six people and then himself, authorities said Tuesday.
Spain’s ombudsman registers 445 church sex abuse complaints
March 13, 2023 GMTMADRID (AP) — Spain’s ombudsman said Monday that an independent commission set up a year ago to investigate historic sex abuse by the Catholic church has collected testimonies from 445 victims, as the nation tackles an issue other European countries acted on long ago.
10 iconic moments in Pope Francis’ first 10 years as pontiff
March 13, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis marks the 10th anniversary of his election as pope on Monday. During that decade, several historic occasions, as well as several unplanned events, helped define the contours and priorities of history's first Latin American pontiff.
Argentina’s initial fervor for Pope Francis has faded
March 12, 2023 GMTBUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — When Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina became Pope Francis, much of his home country celebrated as if it had just won a soccer World Cup championship. A decade later, the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church generates divided opinions and much less fervor.
Jehovah’s Witnesses shocked by Hamburg attack, thank police
March 11, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — The Jehovah’s Witnesses expressed shock Saturday over the deadly shooting at one of the group's halls in Hamburg, Germany, but thanked German authorities for preventing more bloodshed through their swift intervention during the attack.
Trump vs. DeSantis: Florida pastors mull conservative issues
March 11, 2023 GMTDORAL, Florida (AP) — Several of Florida’s conservative faith leaders have the ear of two early frontrunners for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination – former President Donald Trump, who lives in Palm Beach, and Gov.
Pope Francis at 10 years: A reformer’s learning curve, plans
March 11, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — So much for a short pontificate.
Pope Francis celebrates the 10th anniversary of his election Monday, far outpacing the “two or three” years he once envisioned for his papacy and showing no signs of slowing down.
German gunman kills 6 at Hamburg Jehovah’s Witness hall
March 10, 2023 GMTGerman church reform assembly calls for same-sex blessings
March 10, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A meeting between Germany’s Catholic bishops and lay representatives agreed Friday to call for the church to approve blessings of same-sex unions.
Multiple dead in Jehovah’s Witness hall shooting in Germany
March 10, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Shots were fired inside a building used by Jehovah's Witnesses in the northern German city of Hamburg on Thursday evening, with several people killed and wounded, police said.
West Virginia GOP governor signs ‘religious freedom’ bill
March 9, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a law Thursday described by supporters as a tool to protect religious freedom but labeled a “license to discriminate” by LGBTQ rights advocates.
Suspect in shooting of 2 Jewish men in LA pleads not guilty
March 9, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — A man who allegedly shot and wounded two Jewish men as they left synagogues in Los Angeles last month pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal hate crimes, authorities said.
John Paul abuse claims trigger angry reactions in Poland
March 9, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Fallout from a TV report alleging that St. John Paul II covered up clergy sex abuse cases escalated Thursday, with Poland’s Catholic Church and lawmakers defending him as one of the greatest Poles ever and the government “inviting” the U.S.
France: About 200 church sex abuse victims get compensation
March 9, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — About 190 victims of child sexual abuse by priests or other church representatives have been promised financial compensation so far from France’s Catholic Church under a sweeping reparations program, the independent body in charge of the process said Thursday.
Contentious German church reform assembly opens last meeting
March 9, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Catholic bishops and lay representatives gathered on Thursday for the final meeting of a potentially groundbreaking reform assembly that has been marked by tensions between liberalizers and conservatives and is drawing increasingly open opposition from the Vatican.
Israel’s Netanyahu flies to Rome as Meloni condemns swastika
March 9, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Far-right Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni condemned antisemitic graffiti directed at her main rival on Thursday, ahead of a visit to Italy by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his first since Meloni's victory last year.
Fear, anxiety follow Nicaraguan faith leaders into exile
March 9, 2023 GMTSAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica (AP) — For two hours each afternoon, the Catholic priest listens to confessions behind a glass wall where anyone nearby can spot him. Yet that visibility is deceptive; he yearns to keep his name and exact whereabouts a secret to the outside world.
Polish PM defends John Paul II after report he knew of abuse
March 8, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister on Wednesday stepped in to defend the good name of St. John Paul II, a “great fellow-countryman,” following claims that he knew of sex abuse of minors by priests under his authority while archbishop in Poland and sought to conceal it.
Pope bolsters women at Vatican but resistance remains
March 8, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has significantly increased the Vatican's female workforce, including in high-ranking positions, but women face continued resistance from the all-male Catholic hierarchy to access leadership positions in the church, according to Vatican statistics and independent surveys released Wednesday.
‘Stranger at the Gate,’ an Oscar nominee on love after hate
March 8, 2023 GMTWhen Richard McKinney was getting married last year, friends stepped in to help. Bibi Bahrami cooked Afghan dishes — from rice with carrots and raisins to chicken and beef — for the wedding guests. Her husband officiated the Islamic part of the ceremony.
AP PHOTOS: Indians celebrate Holi, Hindu festival of color
March 8, 2023 GMTNEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians on Wednesday celebrated the Holi festival, dancing to the beat of drums, smearing each other with green, yellow and red colors and exchanging sweets in homes, parks and streets.
Polish TV report: John Paul II knew of abuse as archbishop
March 7, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — St. John Paul II knew about sexual abuse of children by priests under his authority and sought to conceal it when he was an archbishop in his native Poland, a television news report has alleged.
Ukrainian refugees celebrate Purim in Berlin as war drags on
March 7, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of refugees from Ukraine celebrated the Jewish holiday of Purim in Berlin Tuesday dressed in colorful costumes and dancing to loud Israeli music.
They danced, drank and ate together with hundreds of other members of the German capital's Chabad community that organized the party in a hotel.
Vatican ‘donating’ its own 3 Parthenon sculptures to Greece
March 7, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — The Vatican and Greece finalized a deal Tuesday for the return of three sculpture fragments from the Parthenon that have been in the collection of the Vatican Museums for two centuries, the latest case of a Western museum bowing to demands for restitution.
Pope renews cabinet of cardinal advisers, adds new members
March 7, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis has renewed his cabinet of cardinal advisers from around the world, naming a handful of new members Tuesday and reconfirming others to help him run the Catholic Church.
Francis instituted the Council of Cardinals one month into his papacy, on April 13, 2013, with a primary goal of advising him on the reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.
Tribes bury Southern California’s famed mountain lion, P-22
March 7, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Tribal leaders, scientists and conservation advocates buried Southern California's most famous mountain lion Saturday in the mountains where the big cat once roamed.
Miami faith community strains to help new exiles, migrants
March 5, 2023 GMTHIALEAH, Florida (AP) — A few days after selling all she had to flee Cuba with her three children on a crowded boat, Daneilis Tamayo raised her hand in praise and sang the rousing opening hymn at Sunday worship in this Miami suburb.
Man gets 18 months in prison for antisemitic assaults in NY
March 4, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — A man was sentenced to 18 months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to a federal hate crime conspiracy charge in a series of antisemitic assaults in New York City.
Saadah Masoud, 29, of Staten Island was arrested in June after authorities said he punched and dragged a counterprotester, who was draped in an Israeli flag, at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in April.
Oil for Charles III’s coronation consecrated in Jerusalem
March 4, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Two senior clergymen in Jerusalem have consecrated the holy oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation, as the Anglican Church seeks to underscore the monarchy’s long history and the royal family’s links to the Middle East.
Vermont bishop testifies against clergy reporting bill
March 3, 2023 GMTMONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church's rite of confession must remain confidential, even if someone tells a priest that a child has been abused, the bishop who leads Vermont's diocese testified Friday.
Need a Lenten fish fry? There’s an interactive map for that
March 3, 2023 GMTWEXFORD, Pa. (AP) — By the time the doors open at 4:30 p.m., a boisterous line of 50 hungry people is looping around the gymnasium foyer at Blessed Francis Seelos Academy. Their objective: to occupy tables on the basketball court and, for the parish’s first time since the pandemic descended in 2020, sit down for an old-fashioned Lenten fish fry.
Transgender pastor claims bias, sues Lutheran denomination
March 3, 2023 GMTThe Rev. Megan Rohrer, who was elected as the first openly transgender bishop of one of the largest Christian denominations in the country in May 2021, has filed a lawsuit alleging that he was forced out from his post after enduring several months of discrimination and harassment.
Former mayor, Mormon bishop gets prison for child sex abuse
March 2, 2023 GMTSALT LAKE CITY (AP) —
A former Utah city mayor and one-time bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced Thursday for child sexual abuse at a hearing in which his victims wept while detailing the torment they endured.
New Easter Island statue found in volcanic crater’s dry lake
March 2, 2023 GMTSANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Researchers have found a new moai statue in a dry lake on the Chilean island of Rapa Nui, joining the approximately 1,000 other iconic monolithic sculptures on what is internationally known as Easter Island.
Push to require clergy to report abuse stalls in Mormon Utah
March 1, 2023 GMTSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lindsey Lundholm looked out over hundreds of people at the Utah State Capitol last year and felt a deep sense of healing. Abuse survivors, religious leaders and major party politicians were all gathered to rally for an end to a legal loophole that exempts religious clergy from being required to report child sexual abuse once it comes to their attention.
Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors
March 1, 2023 GMTThe woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church — the California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren — says she will continue to serve as a ministry leader despite her longstanding ties to the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
West Virginia ‘religious freedom’ bill headed to governor
March 1, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia bill described by supporters as a tool to protect religious freedom and labeled a “license to discriminate” by LGBTQ rights advocates is headed to the desk of Republican Gov.
Memphis teen 1 of 2 charged in church leader’s 2022 killing
February 28, 2023 GMTMEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man have been indicted in the carjacking and fatal shooting of a prominent United Methodist Church leader in Memphis, Tennessee, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Asteroid named after pope behind Gregorian calendar reform
February 28, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Gregory XIII, the 16th century pontiff responsible for what is today known as the Gregorian calendar, now has another, celestial claim to fame.
A working group of the International Astronomical Union has named an asteroid after him, the Vatican Observatory said Tuesday.
Suspected schoolgirl poisoning attacks rattle a shaken Iran
February 28, 2023 GMTDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Over the past three months, hundreds of young girls attending different schools in Iran have become overpowered by what are believed to be noxious fumes wafting into their classrooms, with some ending up weakened on hospital beds.
Protestant Council of Rwanda bars abortions in its clinics
February 28, 2023 GMTKIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — The Protestant Council of Rwanda has directed all health facilities run by its members to stop carrying out all abortions, further limiting access to the procedure in the largely Christian nation of 13 million people.
White House promises crackdown on migrant child labor
February 28, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Monday that it is creating a new task force to crack down on an explosion of the illegal exploitation of migrant children for labor in the U.S.
Hundreds of companies that employed nearly 4,000 children last year were found in violation of federal labor laws, a dramatic increase in the last five years.
Maryland leaders back changing ’24 primary to avoid Passover
February 27, 2023 GMTANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Top leaders in the Maryland General Assembly are expressing support for changing the state's 2024 primary date, which is now scheduled to take place during a Jewish holiday.
House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson noted Monday in a joint statement that the date unintentionally coincides with Passover, which would prevent thousands of residents from voting.
Legacy of Wounded Knee occupation lives on 50 years later
February 27, 2023 GMTWOUNDED KNEE, S.D. (AP) — Madonna Thunder Hawk remembers the firefights.
As a medic during the occupation of Wounded Knee in early 1973, Thunder Hawk was stationed nightly in a frontline bunker in the combat zone between Native American activists and U.S.
West Virginia GOP majority House OKs religious freedom bill
February 27, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia's GOP supermajority House of Delegates passed a bill Monday that would create a test for courts to apply when people challenge government regulations they believe interfere with their constitutional right to religious freedom.
Ex-Cardinal McCarrick asks court to dismiss sex assault case
February 27, 2023 GMTBOSTON (AP) — Lawyers for former Roman Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick filed a motion Monday to dismiss a case charging him with sexually assaulting a boy decades ago, saying the 92-year-old once-powerful American prelate has dementia and is not competent to stand trial.
Pope to visit Hungary in April, migration and war on agenda
February 27, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis will visit Hungary at the end of April, the Vatican said Monday, in a trip expected to focus on migration to Europe and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The April 28-30 trip to Budapest represents a proper state visit after Francis made a brief, hours-long stopover in 2021 to close out a church conference.
‘Love doesn’t exist’: Immigrants defy forced marriage abroad
February 27, 2023 GMTGUASTALLA, Italy (AP) — From the day of her birth in Pakistan, Iram Aslam was betrothed to a cousin 17 days older. But to the young woman, who emigrated as a teenager to this Italian farm town on the Po River plain, the cousin felt like a brother.
AP PHOTOS: Greeks revel in Carnival after pandemic pause
February 26, 2023 GMTNAXOS, Greece (AP) — Throngs of revelers across Greece attended end-of-Carnival celebrations this weekend for the first time in four years.
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the festivities held before the beginning of Lent in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Greeks revel in Carnival celebrations after pandemic pause
February 26, 2023 GMTNAXOS, Greece (AP) — Throngs of revelers across Greece attended end-of-Carnival celebrations this weekend for the first time in four years.
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the festivities held before the beginning of Lent in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Cleric missing in Lebanon since 5 days killed by relatives
February 25, 2023 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — A Muslim cleric who went missing earlier this week was killed by people from his northern hometown with whom he had been at odds with for more than a decade, security officials said Saturday.
Maryland church celebrates heritage on ‘Caribbean Sabbath’
February 25, 2023 GMTHYATTSVILLE, Md. (RNS) — As worshippers entered the sanctuary of Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church, doorman Percy Joseph greeted them with “Happy Sabbath,” his bright red Trinidad and Tobago T-shirt showing beneath his long black coat.
Seattle Opera puts story of Afghan women center stage
February 25, 2023 GMTAs the Taliban once again assert control of Afghanistan and push women further out of public view, a female Afghan filmmaker is working thousands of miles away to help bring to life a wildly popular tale of two heroines living in her homeland, including under the group’s first reign.
Pope doubles down on need for financial trials in Vatican
February 25, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis said Saturday that financial misconduct by Vatican personnel harms the church’s mission and scandalizes the faithful, doubling down on the need for trials in the tiny city state to find justice.
West Virginians clash over religious freedom bill at hearing
February 25, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Some people said West Virginia needs a law to codify the right of residents to challenge government regulations that interfere with their religious beliefs because of growing threats to their constitutional freedoms.
Redacted report on Baltimore church sex abuse to be released
February 24, 2023 GMTBALTIMORE (AP) — A judge on Friday ordered the release of a redacted version of an investigative report detailing sex abuse allegations against more than 150 Roman Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and examining the institution’s response.
Child sex abuse lawsuit window again gets Pa. lawmakers’ OK
February 24, 2023 GMTHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Victims would be able to sue over otherwise outdated claims of child sexual abuse under two pieces of legislation passed Friday by the Pennsylvania House, but it's unclear whether the state Senate will take them up.
Pope nationalizes Vatican assets, property in new reform
February 23, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis has essentially nationalized all assets and property owned by Vatican departments and affiliated institutions, declaring them to be sovereign patrimony owned by the Holy See and not any individual or office.
Israel’s rightward shift is straining its ties with US Jews
February 23, 2023 GMTAn array of U.S. Jewish leaders are sounding alarms about what they see as a threat to Israel’s democracy posed by its new government, fearing it will erode the independence of its judiciary and legal protections for minority groups.
Pope cancels an appointment, some speeches due to bad cold
February 23, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis canceled one audience and skipped speeches he was set to deliver Thursday because of a bad cold, the Vatican said.
Francis, 86, did meet with young Orthodox priests and monks and members of the Max Planck Society, the German research organization that is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.