WorldWide Religious News

Email: wwrn@wwrn.org

Asia/Pacific:

"Ahmadiyyas asked to remove Quranic verses in Lahore"
("PTI", September 29, 2009)
Lahore, Pakistan - The minority Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan's cultural capital has been asked to remove all Quranic verses from its business places and homes.

"Malaysia upholds woman's caning"
(BBC, September 28, 2009)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - An Islamic court in Malaysia has upheld a sentence of six strokes of the cane handed to a Muslim woman who was caught drinking beer in public.

"Anger at Jerusalem shrine clash"
(BBC, September 28, 2009)
Jerusalem, Israel - Palestinian leaders have blamed Israel for raising tension in Jerusalem after a day of clashes at the city's most sensitive religious site.

"China calls for more respect for minority cultures"
(Reuters, September 29, 2009)
Beijing, China - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday called for officials from the dominant Han community to work harder to understand ethnic minorities, after the past two years which have seen violent unrest in Tibet and Xinjiang.

"Catholic religious orders’ meet begins"
("The Hindu", September 29, 2009)
New Delhi, India - The Conference of Religious India opened its five-day triennial national assembly here on Sunday. More than 550 major superiors from about 360 Catholic religious orders are attending the conference.

"Police: Church collapse in Nepal kills 24"
(AP, September 29, 2009)
Katmandu, Nepal - Police in Nepal say a church has collapsed in the eastern part of the country, killing at least 24 people and injuring an additional 62.

Europe:

"Pope treads carefully on Czech visit"
(BBC, September 29, 2009)
Prague, Czech Republic - With Europe becoming less religious, the Pope faces a dilemma whenever he visits - how far to push the sort of big Catholic issues that might meet a hostile response. David Willey follows Benedict XVI to the Czech Republic, and sees him play it safe.

"Scottish island to become ashram"
By Catrin Nye (BBC, September 28, 2009)
Little Cumbrae, UK - Bought by two of his devotees from Glasgow for £2m, the tiny North Ayrshire island of Little Cumbrae is being converted into an international yoga camp after a blessing from India's most popular lifestyle guru Baba Ramdev, also known as Swami Ji.

"Catholic Church urges whistleblowers to report sex abuse priests"
By Ruth Gledhill ("The Times", September 24, 2009)
Vatican City - The Roman Catholic Church is urging whistleblowers to speak out against bishops, clergy, monks and nuns who they suspect might be guilty of sexual or other abuse.

"Jewish faith schools introduce religious observance tests"
By Riazat Butt ("The Guardian", September 29, 2009)
Middlesex, UK - At JFS, the Jews' Free School, cars are circling asphalt, looking for space, and a stream of people ebbs and flows through the doors. It is the school's open evening and, at the end of three hours, more than 1,300 people, potential students and their eager parents, will have crossed the threshold.

"Sex abuse rife in other religions, says Vatican"
Riazat Butt and Anushka Asthana ("The Guardian", September 28, 2009)
Vatican City - The Vatican has lashed out at criticism over its handling of its paedophilia crisis by saying the Catholic church was "busy cleaning its own house" and that the problems with clerical sex abuse in other churches were as big, if not bigger.

"Islamic pupil wins case to pray at German school"
("EarthTimes", September 29, 2009)
Berlin, Germany - A Berlin pupil has been awarded the right to perform Islamic prayer rituals at school, in a court ruling passed on Tuesday. Berlin's administrative court agreed with the complaint brought by the 16-year-old pupil, who attends a secondary school in the German capital.

"Pope: World Day for Social Communications dedicated to priests and digital world"
("AsiaNews", September 29, 2009)
Vatican City - In this Year of the Priest, "The priest and the pastoral ministry in the digital world: new media at the service of the Word" is the theme chosen by Benedict XVI for the 44th World Day for Social Communications. Commenting on the theme chosen by the Pope, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications says that "the main task of the priest is to proclaim the Word of God made flesh, man and history, thus becoming a sign of the communion that God makes with man. The effectiveness of this ministry then requires that the priest lives an intimate relationship with God, rooted in a deep love and deep knowledge of scripture, written 'witness' of the Word of God. "

North America:

"Prosecutors to bring new allegations in FLDS trial"
By Michael Kelly ("Standard-Times", September 29, 2009)
San Angelo, USA - State prosecutors intend to bring a host of additional allegations to the trial of Raymond Merril Jessop scheduled for Oct. 26 in the 51st Judicial District, the Texas Attorney General’s Office said.

"Texas AG: Polygamist sect man skirted bank laws"
By Michelle Roberts (AP, September 29, 2009)
San Antonio, USA - A polygamist sect member set to go on trial for bigamy and sexual abuse of a child next month deliberately skirted anti-money laundering laws and used a wife he once abandoned to help front a company in Arizona, prosecutors allege in a court filing.

"Religious views do not make Mitchell incompetent, prosecutors say"
By Pat Reavy ("Deseret News", September 29, 2009)
Salt Lake City, USA - Prosecutors preparing for self-proclaimed street preacher Brian David Mitchell's upcoming competency hearing in federal court say his religious views do not make him incompetent to stand trial.

"Pastor punctuates sermon with 'n-word'"
By Oralandar Brand-Williams ("The Detroit News", September 29, 2009)
Warren, USA - A pastor of a church is raising eyebrows for his use of the n-word 30 times during his Sunday sermon.

"New signs at Mormon plaza say anyone can be barred"
(AP, September 29, 2009)
Salt Lake City, USA - New signs at a Mormon church-owned plaza in downtown Salt Lake City put visitors on notice: Anyone can be asked to leave for any reason.

"Religious life won't be the same after downturn"
By Rachel Zoll (AP, September 28, 2009)
New York, USA - Organized religion was already in trouble before the fall of 2008. Denominations were stagnating or shrinking, and congregations across faith groups were fretting about their finances.

"Conservative Lutherans organize after vote on gays"
By Ken Kusmer (AP, September 26, 2009)
Fishers, USA - Conservative members of the nation's largest Lutheran denomination voted Saturday to spend the next 12 months deciding whether to split from the church after it liberalized its stance on gay clergy.

"Ill. high court OKs 'Jews only' inheritance"
By Christopher Wills (AP, September 24, 2009)
Springfield, USA - Proud of his religion and worried about its future, Chicago dentist Max Feinberg wrote a will with an unusual catch: His grandchildren wouldn't inherit a penny if they married someone who wasn't Jewish.

"Former bank robber co-founds ministries"
By Ron Word (AP, September 25, 2009)
Jacksonville, USA - A slug from a .357-caliber Magnum ended Ken Cooper's 13-year career as a bank robber and started him on the path toward redemption and a network of five prison ministries.

"Father Maur's Cookies: Artistic angels help bring funds to St. Andrew's Abbey"
By Jerry Johnston ("Deseret News", September 25, 2009)
Valyermo, USA - Despite their commitment to spiritual matters, monks need funds. They, too, have bills to pay.

"Court strikes down Euless animal slaughter ban"
(AP, September 29, 2009)
Fort Worth, USA - A federal judge has barred a North Texas suburb from enforcing a rule to prevent a Santeria priest from sacrificing animals in his home.

"Area religious leaders question billboards"
By Oralandar Brand-Williams ("The Detroit News", September 28, 2009)
Detroit, USA - A series of controversial billboards recently erected throughout Metro Detroit is drawing curious stares and criticism from the faith community.

"Muslim service draws thousands to Capitol"
By Jacqueline L. Salmon ("Washington Post", September 26, 2009)
Washington, USA - Nearly 3,000 people gathered Friday on the west lawn of the Capitol for a mass Muslim prayer service that was part religion and part pep rally for the beleaguered U.S. Muslim community.

"Sense of Sanctuary Lost As Church Attacks Spike"
By William Wan ("Washington Post", September 30, 2009)
Silver Spring, USA - The youth choir belted out "O Happy Day" as folks trickled in through the church doors. Few noticed the accountant sitting in the back pew, his eyes flickering over each latecomer.