Religion News Stories

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is marking the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I with an impassioned plea for people to “not repeat the mistakes of the past,” urging them to embrace dialogue to overcome conflicts. … Continue reading →

The Australian government Wednesday rejected a report from church leaders describing its treatment of child asylum-seekers as “state-sanctioned abuse”, saying such claims were “offensive”. The report by a coalition of leaders from Christian churches criticises how unaccompanied asylum-seeker children are … Continue reading →

By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) – An Australian senator on Wednesday accused the government of trying to whitewash its hard-line asylum seeker policies by blocking access to a detention center holding 157 Sri Lankan migrants recently held at sea by … Continue reading →

KANO (Reuters) – A bomb attack on a Catholic church in northern Nigeria’s main city of Kano killed five people and wounded eight on Sunday, a senior police officer said. The bomber threw the bomb at worshippers on their way … Continue reading →

A fire largely destroyed one of China’s oldest churches early Monday, state media reported, gutting the inside of the late 19th century structure. “The inside of the building is totally destroyed,” a firefighter told the official Xinhua news agency after … Continue reading →

Pope Francis will travel to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in January for his second trip to a continent where evangelisation is a big priority for the Catholic Church, the Vatican said on Tuesday. The 77-year-old will visit Sri Lanka … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – More members of religious communities around the world were forced to flee their homes last year than at any time in recent memory, the United States said on Monday, in its annual report on religious freedom. “In … Continue reading →

By Daniel Flynn NDASSIMA Central African Republic (Reuters) – Three young rebels, their AK47s propped against wooden stools in the afternoon heat, guard the entrance to the giant Ndassima goldmine carved deep into a forested hilltop in Central African Republic. … Continue reading →

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican has confirmed the dates for Pope Francis’ second trip to Asia, a weeklong visit Jan. 12-19 to Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Francis had already announced his intention to visit Sri Lanka and meet … Continue reading →

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has become the first pope to visit a Pentecostal church, pressing his outreach to evangelicals who represent Catholicism’s greatest competition for Christian souls around the globe. Francis flew by helicopter Monday to visit the … Continue reading →