BALTIMORE — Born into a family of devout Catholics, Marc Floto was almost destined to be an altar boy at his local church, the former Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baltimore County.

So when he was 5 or 6 years old, his parents “pretty much pushed” him to do just that. But they had no idea about the life-altering consequences ...Read more

Pope Francis has apologized for using a homophobic slur during a recent closed-door meeting with more than 200 Italian bishops, the Vatican said.

The leader of the Catholic Church was heavily criticized on Monday after multiple Italian news outlets reported he had used the Italian term “frociaggine” when discussing the admission of gay men ...Read more

The legal battle between the Carmelite nuns of the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity and Bishop Michael Olson may be over after a second lawsuit was dismissed on Wednesday, but another fight involving orders from the Vatican over who has authority over the nuns is brewing.

On Wednesday and Thursday, a representative appointed by Rome was ...Read more

DETROIT — Attorney General Dana Nessel released the third of seven reports Wednesday related to a years-long investigation into clergy sexual abuse within Michigan's Catholic dioceses.

The report on the Diocese of Kalamazoo indicated there were 19 priests accused of sexual misconduct between the diocese's founding in 1971 and 2024; 12 of ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The 58-year-old woman couldn’t bear to share the details of the sexual abuse she suffered as a child, but its effect on her came across loud and clear Monday in a Baltimore courtroom as she faced the leader of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

“Do you see me now?” she cried toward Archbishop William Lori, who was seated across ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Eight people who survived sexual abuse committed by Catholic clergy in Maryland are set to testify in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s bankruptcy case.

Their statements in court will bring to 14 the number of abuse victims who testified in the case about their torment. Monday’s hearing is the second such proceeding scheduled by ...Read more

California has long had a hard ban preventing public school funding from going toward any sectarian instruction or sectarian schools.

But now families in at least two federal lawsuits in California, encouraged by a Supreme Court that has been friendly to many religious liberty cases, are challenging that prohibition, which they argue ...Read more

VATICAN CITY — Gov. Gavin Newsom accused former President Donald Trump of “open corruption” in a speech Thursday at a climate summit of Catholic officials and international leaders, elevating his criticism of the Republican leader in the hallowed halls of the Vatican.

The California governor referenced news stories alleging that Trump ...Read more

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul visited Vatican City on Thursday to hear a climate address from Pope Francis and deliver one of her own.

Hochul, who is Catholic, sat in the first row as Francis spoke in the Clementine Hall, a luminous chamber with walls adorned by intricate Renaissance frescoes, and was invited to greet the pope after his speech.

...Read more

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday appointed former Rep. Vicky Hartzler — a conservative Christian who was once brought to tears speaking out against a bill to provide federal protections to same-sex marriages — to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Her appointment to the commission, a bipartisan federal agency ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — After it says it is being blocked by a Henderson ordinance from building a Hindu temple on a 5-acre patch of land in a rural neighborhood, a local Hindu group accuses the city of discrimination.

The association is now appealing to the federal government to intervene on its behalf.

The American Hindu Association says a city ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — When Erika Brunwasser needed help picking up her daughter from preschool, her friend was shocked to find two security guards posted outside the synagogue that housed the school.

“She thoughtfully asked how it feels as a parent to leave my child every day at a place that is targeted by hate,” Brunwasser said. “Sadly, ...Read more

SEATTLE — The Archdiocese of Seattle is refusing to turn over documents showing how it handled child sexual abuse allegations by church leaders, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a news conference Thursday.

The archdiocese is citing a legal exemption for religious organizations that shields the records from public disclosure, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Quaker community members hung a “peace” sign on the campus of Germantown Friends School in the fall. It was a message everyone seemed to agree on.

But outrage ensued in late February after they added a series of cloth watermelons next to the simple five-letter message.

The watermelon imagery — an unofficial symbol of ...Read more

After a tense day of protests, counterprotests and increased university police presence on the University of Chicago’s Main Quadrangle, the sun began to fade Friday evening and the Jewish holy day of Sabbath began.

Within the encampment established by the University of Chicago United for Palestine coalition, about 50 Jewish students and ...Read more

As a historic global conference of the United Methodist Church draws to a close in Charlotte Friday, the issue of homosexuality that has driven away many of the denomination’s churches appears settled.

Delegates on Thursday removed language in Methodist Church laws that for decades has said homosexuality was “incompatible” with Christian ...Read more

There were tears, hugs, prayer and singing in Charlotte, North Carolina, after the United Methodist Church removed a line prohibiting the ordination of LGBTQ clergy that had been in place since 1984.

According to Unite Methodist News, delegates - without debate - voted 692 to 51 for the changes on the day’s consent calendar, which enabled the...Read more