Bishops of Mexico release security guide in response to rising crime

“We’re very pleased that they are coming to Massachusetts”: Cardinal Seán O’Malley, the Archbishop of Boston, supports efforts to open Thomas Aquinas College, New England, in time for the start of the 2019-2020 academic year

Bishop Jaime Soto to offer Mass for the intention of Bishop Richard Garcia of Monterey: Bishop Garcia has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease

Bishops of Mexico release security guide in response to rising crime: Advice includes details about how to handle travel, making a withdrawal from an ATM, and what to do if you are kidnapped, robbed, threatened, or extorted

Does Your Church Have Enough Samaritans?

What Transgender People Need from Conservative Christians We’ll never reach them with biblical truth without first understanding their experiences. Nate Collins Read More

News Harold Smith to Retire as CEO of Christianity Today He has served the company for 34 years, 11 as president. Mark Galli Read More

prison ministry Does Your Church Have Enough Samaritans? Samaria has always been as fruitful a venue for the gospel as it has been a repulsive place for God’s people to initially consider engaging. Scott Larson Read More

Editorial Loving Our Neighbors Knows No Borders—Even Political Ones Along the way, we may be able to show people Jesus. Mark Galli Read More

Women It’s Not My Daughter’s Job to Teach Me About Women I’m learning how to rightly respect the opposite sex, not because I had a child but because of ongoing encounters with Christ. Esau McCaulley Read More

Pivot Park Farthest Away: 5 Simple Pastoral Habits To Defy Our “Me First” Culture Leadership is an opportunity to serve. Anyone who doesn’t see it that way is not a leader, just a boss. Karl Vaters Read More

News Global Religious Freedom Takes Its Biggest Hit in Over a Decade Christianity is the biggest religion in the world. It's also still the most restricted. Griffin Paul Jackson Read More

Book Review Imagining a Virtuous Capitalism Free-market ideas grew in a religious and moral soil. We need to replant them there. Hugh C. Whelchel Read More

Book Review | CT Magazine The God Who Overpowers Childhood Trauma A new book crawls into the lives of children at risk, enters their desperation, and accompanies them on their journey toward redemption. Mary DeMuth Read More

Quick to Listen

Why Families Keep Coming to the US Border

How violence and terror in their homelands spurs migrants to come north.

CT Editors

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Canada attacks religious freedom

Muted reaction by ‘pro-family’ groups to family separations
The Associated Press
Constitutionality of Indiana abortion laws challenged in new lawsuit
The Indianapolis Star *
Diocese review: Iowa county legally sent $844,000 in public grants to private school
The Des Moines Register *
The battle over ‘Catholic identity’ at Catholic University of America
Religion News Service
Faith leaders say Sikh refugees and others in Oregon prison are being denied access to religious services
Willamette Week
Three men indicted for Minnesota mosque bombing
Reuters
 

International Headlines

British milestones in Holy Land set traditional foundation for royal visit
Reuters
Palestinians and Israelis remember life under British rule
Reuters
U.S. close to releasing Mideast peace proposal that Palestinian leadership may immediately reject
The Washington Post *
Church of England’s 2010 abuse inquiry was ‘flawed’ and ‘failed’
BBC News
Czech government backs bill on same-sex marriage
Reuters
Suu Kyi says outside hate narratives driving Myanmar tension
The Associated Press
China: New rules to prevent sex-selective abortions raise fears
The Guardian
Pope to make Vatican changes in push for reform, transparency
Reuters
Indonesian Islamic State cleric gets death sentence for Jakarta attack
BBC News
South African Jews report ‘flurry of viciously anti-Semitic’ incidents
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
 

Analysis & Commentary

Doctor-assisted suicide is contagious, too. Why aren’t we sounding the alarm?
The Kansas City Star *
‘Conscientious objection’: When doctors’ beliefs are a barrier to abortion
The Guardian
Canada attacks religious freedom
The Wall Street Journal *
Thomas Jefferson and Islam as an American religion
Wisconsin Muslim Journal
 

* Some websites may require a paid subscription

Following Merton into a "Useless Life"

This is a pivotal moment in American Protestantism
CNN: Put simply, America's two largest Protestant denominations -- one mainline, one evangelical -- are facing institutional rifts that pit established policies of the past against activist calls for inclusion, justice and new leadership, says Diana Butler Bass.

Could Southern Baptists actually become feminists?
The New York Times: Religious institutions are particularly adept at evading change, especially in regard to women, says Margaret Bendroth.

The 3 stages of giving: Deference, arrogance and inquiry
The Conversation: Thinking about philanthropy in a more complex way may help donors do more good.

Following Merton into a "Useless Life"
Bearings: A review of "In Praise of the Useless Life: A Monk's Memoir."

Church of England's 2010 abuse inquiry was 'flawed' and 'failed'
BBC: The Church of England "botched" its investigation into alleged cases of abuse, a report's author has said.

How to Properly Respond to the Homosexualist Priest

How to Properly Respond to the Homosexualist Priest

Declan Carrick Lyons
 

Let’s be honest: We do not have a “homosexual priest” problem within the Church. Rather, we have a homosexualist priest problem within the Church. Priests who might experience same-sex attraction at least have the possibility of addressing that issue effectively in order to live their priestly vocation as a true icon of the Church’s Bridegroom, […]

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Religious Liberty Thwarted by Canadian High Court Decision

John Paul Meenan
 

I should apologize for more bad news from Canada (and more to come with the recent legalization of marijuana), but it comes with a tinge of hope: Last Friday, Trinity Western University, a Christian university in Langley, British Columbia, was denied the right to offer law degrees by the Supreme Court of Canada, due to […]

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Study finds mounting global restrictions on religion

·      Study finds mounting global restrictions on religion

Government restrictions on religion continued to rise across the globe in 2016, according to a recently released Pew study, which linked the stifling of religion to nationalist parties and organizations.

·      On papal flight, Francis says intercommunion policy should be decided by diocesan bishops

·      Farm bill with SNAP restrictions passes narrowly in House

·      Full text of Pope Francis' in-flight press conference from Geneva

·      The Catholic Church's long history of resettling refugees in the US

·      Church in Mexico releases security protocols to prevent crime

·      What’s next for Cardinal McCarrick? How the Church addresses sex abuse allegations

·      World Health Organization no longers consider transgenderism a disorder

·      Pope Francis: The Our Father is a spiritual roadmap

·      Pope Francis meets with North, South Koreans in Geneva

·      Mission is a prerequisite to unity, Pope says in Geneva

·      Pope in Geneva: Real ecumenism puts Christ over division

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·      Saint of the Day