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Second ‘George Floyd’ Pieta stolen from Catholic University
A second painting of Jesus and his mother, Mary, in which Jesus is widely thought to be depicted as George Floyd, has been stolen from the walls of the Catholic University of America’s law school.
Pope Francis uses Ash Wednesday to advocate for peace in Ukraine; sends top Vatican officials to advocate for war’s refugees
Pope Francis used Ash Wednesday to praise practical and spiritual efforts to promote peace, encouraging people to dedicate prayers and fasting to ending the conflict in Ukraine as the church season of Lent begins.
Black Muslim life honored in new online portrait exhibit
A new online exhibit featuring portraits of Black Muslims was launched earlier this month by Sapelo Square, a Black Muslim education and media collective.
Hard hats replace bishops’ miters at Notre Dame’s first Mass since fire
Everyone, it seems, has an idea for how to rebuild Notre Dame.
Faith groups sue Trump administration over refugee resettlement order
Three faith-based groups that assist with refugee resettlement are suing the federal government, arguing a recent executive order granting state and local officials the authority to block refugee resettlement violates federal law and inhibits their ability to practice their faith.
ICE deports undocumented immigrant who left church sanctuary
He left church sanctuary for what he hoped was a short appointment with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. He never returned.
Medieval manuscript returned after museum discovers it was stolen
One year after the Green family — owners of the craft store chain Hobby Lobby and principal sponsors of the Museum of the Bible — agreed to pay a $3 million fine for illegally importing artifacts from Iraq, the museum is returning a medieval New Testament manuscript to the University of Athens after learning the document had been stolen from the Greek institution.
Entire Bible translated into American Sign Language
When Howard Mallory first saw the Gospel of Matthew rendered in American Sign Language nearly 15 years ago, he said he was able to understand it more easily than when reading it in English.
President’s family gets special dispensation to fly on Sabbath
When it comes to Jewish observance, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump may be in a class by themselves.
Mother Teresa lifted to sainthood
Mother Teresa, the tiny nun who devoted her life to the poor, was declared a saint by Pope Francis at the Vatican as he celebrated her “daring and courage” and described her as a role model for all people during his year of mercy.
Partisanship drives religious attitudes and not the other way around
Which comes first — religion or politics? On the one hand, political scientists have long held that people’s political choices are formed by their childhood faith, which, for the most part, sticks with them. On the other, 81 percent of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, a thrice-married adulterer who rarely attends church.
Play about first African-American priest in U.S. highlights current issues
Actor Jim Coleman stood at the front of a dimly lit stage and recounted the joys and hardships of being a black man of Catholic faith.
Black clergy offer churches as COVID-19 vaccination sites
After more than 1,100 people received the coronavirus vaccine in the fellowship hall of a Black church in Oklahoma City, its pastor credited trust and teamwork for the accom- plishment.
Forget Black protestants; white evangelicals least likely to get COVID-19 vaccine
Since before the COVID-19 vaccines hit the market, it has been predicted that Black Americans would choose to be vaccinated at dramatically lower rates than white Americans due to a historic mistrust of the health system. Media stories defined the causes for “vaccine hesitancy” while physicians worried about how to overcome it.
World religious leaders condemn Paris carnage
Pope Francis raised the specter of a World War III “in pieces,” Muslims issued statements of condemnation, while evangelical Christians in America debated whether to speak of a “war with Islam.” These were some of the responses last week by religious leaders around the world to the series of attacks Nov. 13 in Paris that left more than 120 people dead and hundreds of others wounded.
NFL team owner, human trafficking and faith-based communities
The news that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been charged with soliciting sex and prostitution in a spa as part of a monthslong investigation into a massive human trafficking ring is dominating headlines for its shocking revelation about a legendary owner and current Super Bowl champion.
Dr. Cornel West returns to Union Theological Seminary after 2nd Harvard rift
Dr. Cornel West is rejoining the faculty of Union Theologi- cal Seminary in New York, where he started his teaching career more than 40 years ago, the seminary said Monday.
Report: AME Church suspends payments to retirees, investigates missing pension funds
One of the nation’s largest Black Protestant denominations has stopped making payments to retired ministers on its pension plan, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Is it safe to sing at church yet? Depends on who you ask
On Pentecost Sunday, some members of Southwood Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Neb., sang hymns without masks for the first time in more than a year.

