Churches & Religion

Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn holds a copy of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation "Amoris Laetitia" ("The Joy of Love") during a press conference at the Vatican.

Vatican raises defense of pope’s family paper

July 23, 2016, 6:02am Churches & Religion

The Vatican is striking back at conservative critics of Pope Francis’ landmark document on family life, ratcheting up its defense of the pope with new vigor as bishops begin implementing the document around the world. Read story

Author Nadia Hashimi, an Afghan American, speaks to students about the power of words at Camp Ramadan recently in Bethesda, Md.

Muslim camp helps kids ‘be proud of who they are’

July 23, 2016, 6:01am Churches & Religion

It was the last day of Camp Ramadan, and a sea of smiling parents had their arms outstretched, holding up more than a dozen cellphones to capture all of the song and dance and children’s humor contained in the end-of-camp assembly. Read story

Hikers head down the trail after reaching the top on a recent Saturday morning in the Columbia River Gorge.

Lutheran church’s hiking program connects members with outdoors

July 17, 2016, 6:04am Churches & Religion

Everyone stood in a circle in the Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church parking lot, just off bustling Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver. They wore their Saturday finest: hiking boots, flannel and baseball caps. The morning was cool and overcast — ideal conditions for a moving Bible study in the Columbia River… Read story

Pamphlets and prayer cards of Sister Blandina Segale sit on a table at the Catholic Center in Albuquerque, N.M.

Old West nun focus of TV series

July 17, 2016, 5:19am Churches & Religion

An Italian-born nun who once challenged Billy the Kid, calmed angry mobs, opened hospitals and schools in the American Southwest and is now on a path toward possible Sainthood soon will be the subject of a TV series. Read story

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Joseph Chaput issued a new set of pastoral guidelines for clergy and other leaders in the archdiocese that went into effect July 1.

Archbishop: Divorced Catholics must avoid sex

July 16, 2016, 6:01am Churches & Religion

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia is closing the door opened by Pope Francis to letting civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion, saying the faithful in his archdiocese can only do so if they abstain from sex and live “as brother and sister.” Read story

Mosque vandalized with anti-Muslim graffiti, smashed windows

Vandalism at a Rhode Island mosque discovered not long after the deadly attack in Nice, France, spurred a call by the Council on American-Islamic Relations for authorities around the U.S. to increase police patrols to protect Muslim institutions. Read story

People vote in churches and synagogues. Why not a mosque?

Voters in Palm Beach County, Florida, have been assigned to polling stations in about 80 Christian churches and five synagogues or Jewish centers this year, along with schools, government buildings and other locations. Until last week, a single mosque was part of this mix. Read story