Religion News Service

The Archdiocese of Baltimore's plan to close about two-thirds of parishes in the city of Baltimore drew blistering criticism at a recent public forum.

Excommunication, writes Thomas Reese, is "like being denied entry into a friend's home because you did something to upset them. You need to apologize before you are going to be welcomed back."

‘We need to work together if we are to end gender-based violence. We need to involve the government, NGOs, parents, community leaders, women and girls,’ said one evangelist.

The overlooked religious middle is poised to play an outsized role in the 2024 presidential contest.

By tracing what events the media describe as “apocalyptic,” we can gain insight into our changing fears about potential catastrophes. 

Asked about student protests on college campuses, Bishop John Stowe said he appreciated their 'interest in the situation and their solidarity with the Palestinians' but stressed the need to act peacefully.

We have to persevere for peace and have hope because the alternative is too terrible to imagine, writes Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese.

Tackling matters that are the topic of political debates today, the new Vatican document Dignitas Infinita, or "Infinite Dignity," drew more controversy than intended.

The only way to kill the papal court is to stop making Vatican officials bishops and cardinals, says Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese.

"Issues related to racism are now being fiercely debated across the country, and many people of color are fearful that racism is getting worse," reads their statement.

‘The Sound of Silence’ version of the ‘Our Father’ has been widespread throughout Latin America and U.S. Latino communities for the last few decades.

Water purifies and blesses in every religion. But it is more than a symbol: Clean water is a conduit of care and love.

In political, academic and ecclesial life, expressing uncertainty is the equivalent of committing professional suicide.

'I know there are plenty of people out there who believe animals have no souls,’ said Giuliano. ‘And I cannot accept one of God’s creation is, spiritually, the equivalent of a cup of ice cream.'

Theologian Richard Hays' reversal comes at a bad time for those who oppose accepting LGBTQ Christians.

Two things struck Fr. Tom Reese while reading Dignitas Infinita: its new standard for transparency about how it was written, and its emphasis on how long the church has taught on threats to human dignity. 

For decades the Catholic Worker movement has served meals at its two soup kitchens at Maryhouse and St. Joseph House in Manhattan’s East Village, feeding hungry New Yorkers from the thousands of pounds of fresh produce the workers grew at a farm in upstate New York named for the movement’s co-founder, Peter Maurin.

The bishops have urged more support for mothers and families, even as Ascension, one of the largest Catholic health care providers in the U.S., has been closing labor and delivery units at its hospitals. 

Katie Pruitt, a queer singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee, writes music that, with agile vocals and catchy guitar riffs, explores the fraught nature of leaving one’s childhood faith.

Streaming the Eucharist online for the world to watch or broadcasting it on television is an abomination, writes Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese. It is akin to showing video of people eating a meal to people who are starving.