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Christian Science church in Lincoln Park gets new life as multimillion-dollar condos
The name of the new development, Beman Lincoln Park, honors Solon Beman, the architect of the early 20th-century church as well as the town of Pullman.
Should you have to pay to hear the gospel?
For generations, the Black church has passed the offering plate to keep the lights on, pay the preacher, help the poor and carry the Gospel beyond its walls. But what
Pray with the Pope | For mental health ministry
The Holy Father invites the faithful and people of good will to pray that the Church may become an open house, able to accompany without judging and without casting aside those who face difficulties with their mental health.
Why do we suffer? Religion and science may now agree.
A Reflection for the Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church, by Sebastian Gomes
Arts and Entertainment Agenda, Oct. 16 to 22
‘Music in the West End’ concert series kicks off, Oct. 16 The first concert of the 2026-27 season is at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct.16, at Christ Episcopal Church Aspen, 536 W. North St. Pianist Mandy...
Americans who go to church and trust science are also more likely to believe in ghosts and curses, new research shows
New research suggests many Americans who no longer affiliate with an organized religion may still believe in the supernatural in the form of things like tarot, astrology or psychic services.
Should the pulpit be political? 2819 Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell shares his view.
AJC producer Najja Parker asks Philip Anthony Mitchell about pastors’ role in politics and what could be lost if the Black church label disappears.
Mormon leader decries explosion in sports betting, prediction markets
A leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says an explosion in online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed among young people
Business Buzz: Monarch Physical Therapy
Business: Monarch Physical Therapy Address: 61 Church Hill Road Owner: Dr Chelsea and Matt Barnes What is your business background? “I got my doctorate in physical therapy in 2018. My...
Mormon leader decries explosion in sports gambling, prediction markets
A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says an explosion in online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed among young people
Cincinnati Children's, First Ladies for Health to host Family Health Day
The program will be held at five churches and a school on Sunday, Oct. 11
How Politics Shapes American Catholicism
Are US bishops moving left while Catholic voters and young priests move right? Mike Lewis tells DOMRADIO.DE American Catholicism is more complicated.
Welcoming Sunday Is Planned At St. Peter’s
St. Peter’s Church-on-the-Canal will have a special service on Sunday, October 4, at 10 AM to welcome new and returning parishioners. Those who have been away from church for a
Health Care: Upholding Human Dignity and Protecting Conscience
From access to medical care to the protection of human life and religious convictions, Catholic social teaching calls for health care centered on the dignity of every person. Here's what that means for Catholics in Colorado.Part 5 of a 10-part series on the Colorado bishops' public policy prioritiesHealth care should be patient-centered, respect human dignity, protect life, promote the principle of subsidiarity, be affordable and assure conscience rights.The Catholic Church teaches that access t
Greater Galilee Baptist Church to host annual health fair
CHICAGO — A local pastor is bringing health and wellness resources to the city’s West Side. Greater Galilee Baptist Church is gearing up for its annual health fair this weekend. The event, wh…
Bishops from violence-stricken countries emphasize importance of mental health
During a press conference at the Vatican at the end of the gathering, “A Healing Presence: The Church’s Call to Mental Health Ministry,” several ...
Catholic institutions join global gathering on Church’s mental health ministry
Catholic institutions and leaders gather in Rome under the patronage of the Pontifical Academy for Life to strengthen the Church’s ministry to people ...
Mormon Leader Decries Explosion in Sports Gambling, Prediction Markets
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints warned Saturday that an explosion in gambling driven by online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed, particularly among youths, while producing “nothing of value.” D. Todd Christofferson, one of the ...
Hillsong Worship's Jad Gillies reflects on church's fall, God's grace as band releases new music
After years of scandal, leadership upheaval and public scrutiny that rocked one of the world s most influential megachurches, Hillsong Worship s Jad Gillies says the ministry is embracing a
Pope Leo XIV’s October prayer intention is ‘for mental health ministry’
VATICAN CITY (Vatican News) – Pope Leo XIV has dedicated his October prayer intention to mental health ministry, calling on the Church to listen without judging and accompany those who suffer without excluding them. In a video produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, the pope prayed that the Church may be an “open house” … Continue reading
Negro Spirituals Royalty Initiative Is Launched
The Negro Spirituals Royalty Initiative (NSRI) is a new program, created by the Social Justice Matters team of South Congregational Church in Centerville and managed collaboratively with the Hyannis-based Arts
Archbishop Golka to Celebrate 40 Days for Life Mass at Marisol Health
At the heart of the Church’s defense of life is a simple but powerful response: prayer. This October, Catholics across the Archdiocese of Denver are invited to come together in that prayer as Archbishop James R. Golka celebrates a special 40 Days for Life Mass at Marisol Health.The Mass will be celebrated on Friday, October 23, at 2:00 p.m. in the garden at Marisol Health, 2894 Olive Street in Denver. Together, the faithful will give thanks to God for the precious gift of life and pray for mothe
Utica International Church to host third annual Gospel Hymn Sing
Utica International Church will host its third annual Gospel Hymn Sing on Oct. 4, featuring sacred music, local vocalists and community choirs.
Healthy living takes center stage at Methodist Hospitals’ annual free fall community health fair
St. Timothy Community Church in Gary welcomed attendees to Methodist Hospitals’ annual Free Fall Community Health Fair on Saturday, October 17. This event is hosted every year by Methodist Hospitals to provide free screenings, such as blood glucose and cholesterol tests, as well as heart attack and stroke risk assessments and other resources to the … Continued
Downtown church’s history follows Madison’s story for 175 years
Christ Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 175th anniversary this weekend, having survived fires, fought segregation and seen pastors tried for heresy.
Mental Health, the Church's Commitment: "It is not a marginal issue; it belongs to the heart of the mission" - Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has, for the first time, issued a message signed by ...
Chuck Lorre lasted ‘two days’ in the Scientology Sea Org, signed billion-year contract for their ‘insane f—ing mission’
The Church of Scientology requires its Sea Org members to sign the lengthy contract.
Scene
This week’s Scene is this amusing Autumn-themed sign spotted recently at the Saratoga Church of God.
CT funeral home owner accused of stalking ex-business partner. He allegedly followed the man’s wife to church
He allegedly was seen driving through the parking lot or nearby on numerous occasions.
Exclusive Brethren church denies claims of coordinated political campaign in Australia
Parliamentary inquiry demanded the global leader of the sect and his son attend to answer questions.
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, joined by Eric Church, Kirk Franklin, Juvenile, Cyril Neville and Ivan Neville, perform during halftime of the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons
To save democracy, you might want to go to church
The solution to some of American democracy’s biggest problems might be something old and controversial: More religion.
Americans who go to church and trust science are also more likely to believe in ghosts and curses, research shows
Americans who trust science and reason more than their churches' teachings, but still believe in God or attend services, are also more likely to believe in magic than those who prioritize religious teachings.
Clearwater approves Scientology road requests for entertainment center
The Clearwater City Council this week approved the transfer of portions of two roads and an alley to the Church of Scientology for a planned $50 million entertainment center. The city also approved th...
Leaders of church fear Smith's vision could turn historic Japantown into 'Japandock'
Two churches next to Smith Entertainment Group's planned downtown district are worried that the design will make historic Japantown Street the
Milwaukee brothers use youth sports to support local church
Three Milwaukee brothers use youth sports to raise money, collect food and recruit volunteers for nonprofits.
Diocese introduces Mental Health Ministry, invites all to special Mass
Earlier this month Pope Leo shared his October prayer intention for mental health ministry to be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of people with mental illnesses. In the Columbus diocese, the Vicariate of Catholic Social Doctrine has worked since January to animate Mental Health Ministry and support families, clergy, […]
Nevada High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams
Liberty won their top-five matchup with Coronado, Arbor View won their 5th straight, and Churchill County remained unbeaten on the season.
Sunday Science Program at A Church
The Central Colorado Humanists’ Sunday Science program features a talk on “Good Fats, Bad Fats” at A Church at 419 D Street in Salida beginning at 10am.
Seaport Entertainment Group Completes Sale of 85 South Street Residential Building for $8.25 Million
NEW YORK, September 29, 2026--Seaport Entertainment Group Inc. (NYSE: SEG) ("Seaport Entertainment Group," "SEG," "we," "our," or the "Company") announced today it has successfully completed the sale of the eight-story residential building located at 85 South Street, New York, NY to an affiliate of MD Squared Property Group and Churchwick Partners for a sale price of $8.25 million.
A new Supreme Court term begins with cases on climate change, immigration and gun rights
The Supreme Court begins a new term Monday with significant cases on climate change, religious rights, and immigration | News-Talk 1380 WAOK
Sunday Science talk to feature ‘Good Fats, Bad Fats’
“Good Fats, Bad Fats” is the title of the Central Colorado Humanists Sunday Science Program at 10 a.m. Oct. 4 at A Church, 419 D St, led by Alicia McLeod.
What’s the impact of short-term drought on lawns?
Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Science Amy Churchill receives USDA grant to fund project at Nuthatch Hollow
Capitol Hill Lutheran Church receives $500,000 grant for historic restoration
Capitol Hill Lutheran Church in Des Moines was given a $500,000 matching grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places to support restoration of its historic tower and steeple. The church, established in 1886, is one of 30 congregations nationwide selected to share more than $9.1 million in funding this year. The National Fund for…
Former Harlem Globetrotter among speakers at YMCA prayer breakfast
The YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley will hold its Annual Prayer Breakfast at New Beginning's Community Church in Madison County on Saturday, Oct. 24, according to organizers.
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, joined by Eric Church, Kirk Franklin, Juvenile, Cyril Neville and Ivan Neville, perform during halftime of the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons
Idaho churches can give to political campaigns, including anti-Prop 1 initiatives, without donor disclosure
Immerse Arkansas receives $4.5 million for new campus
Little Rock-based nonprofit Immerse Arkansas recently received a $4.5 million anonymous gift and a 99-year land lease from New Heights Church to establish short-term housing and a campus in Fayetteville...
Former Danish Queen, 86, reappears in public 1 month after health scare
Queen Margrethe of Denmark joined King Frederik, Queen Mary, and Princess Benedikte for a celebratory concert at Fredensborg Church
Performing Arts Center Pointing to 2027 Opening as Local Entertainment, Business, and Educational Partner
This reporter recently met with Front Royal Performing Arts Center (FRPAC) Board of Directors President Shae Parker and Vice-President Kate Gorecki to get an overview, including photos seen below, of the renovation status of the planned, multi-faceted Performing Arts Center on the 100 block of East Main Street at its intersection with Church Street. With
Mormon leader decries explosion in sports betting, prediction markets
A leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says an explosion in online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed among young people
Left follows right in abandoning wall between church, state
Rival views on Christianity by Ken Paxton and James Talarico are part of the likely most religious-themed election season in modern history.
Pope Leo defends entering political fray on France end-of-life law
Pope Leo on Monday defended his decision to vocally oppose assisted dying initiatives while in France, acknowledging he may have entered the political fray two months after the country approved such a measure, but wanted to share the Catholic Church's viewpoint.
She bought an abandoned church for $45K and is turning it into her dream home: It's 'the biggest gamble' of her life
Whitney Anderson, a New York City-based interior stylist, bought a 128-year-old church in Michigan and is turning it into her dream home.
How a DSA chapter in Austin is building political power
When the socialists filed into the pews of a church sanctuary in Texas, there were far more than would have attended just two years ago.
Pulpit Politics: Johnson Amendment Rarely Enforced
The Johnson Amendment prohibits tax-exempt religious and charitable organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Some Oklahoma churches have found a loophole: partnerships with other organizations let them reveal political alignments.
Breaking the stigma: Rome conference highlights Catholic mental health ministry
A Rome conference highlighted Catholic mental health ministry, urging the Church to break stigma and offer spiritual support alongside care.
Theatre Guild presents ‘The Cemetery Club’ to end its season
PUNXSUTAWNEY — The Punxsutawney Theatre Arts Guild is staging “The Cemetery Club” on Friday, Oct. 23, and on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Presbyterian Church of Punxsutawney, located on Union
Church Street businesses appeal directly to Gov. Scott for public safety help
The group outlined four specific requests, including redeploying Vermont State Police troopers to Burlington.
Christian Science church in Lincoln Park gets new life as multimillion-dollar condos
The name of the new development, Beman Lincoln Park, honors Solon Beman, the architect of the early 20th-century church as well as the town of Pullman.
A Fiesta’s Serious Business
As if in pilgrimage, three resolute singers carried a melody down the nave toward the stage to open La Donna Musicale’s concert at the Church of the Covenant last Sunday. Their seamless blend with the ensemble’s five musicians set the tone for a program of love and longing that moved across some fiv
Mormon leader decries explosion in sports gambling, prediction markets
A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says an explosion in online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed among young people.
Overlooked: Black Women’s Heart Health
Rhonda Poe has always held a job. From Church’s Chicken to more than a decade in the jewelry industry to working as a script supervisor in the film industry, her daughter, Lily Poe, describes her as a hardworking and determined woman. That all changed on Super Bowl Sunday, February 9, 2025, in New Orleans. Rhonda...
New copper roof just the beginning for First Baptist in Rome
The First Baptist Church in Rome is looking a bit shinier these days after a new copper roof was installed — all that's missing is the 30-foot, wood-frame copper steeple. Church officials said the steeple will be reattached in the coming week, completing a post-tornado roof repair.
WA church sermons on abortion, witchcraft come back to haunt candidate
Katy Cornell is running for an open House position in Washington's 26th House District.
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, joined by Eric Church, Kirk Franklin, Juvenile, Cyril Neville and Ivan Neville, perform during halftime of the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons
Artisans Fair Is Planned At First Congregational Church
The First Congregational Church of Falmouth is hosting an artisans fair on Saturday, October 17, from 9 AM to 2 PM, rain or shine. The event will take place both
Pumpkin Patch Is Open At Methodist Church
The Pumpkin Patch is back at the Bourne United Methodist Church, 37 Sandwich Road in Bourne village. The patch will be open every day through Saturday, October 31, from 10:30
Atwater in the Park taproom set to close
The restaurant and beer hall in Grosse Pointe Park has operated in a converted 1936 church since 2014.
Entertainment briefs | A Company of Voices to present concert in Eureka
A Company of Voices will present a concert titled “All Who Wander” Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church.
These 10 albums have surprising ties to cults and unconventional religions
Every religion has a musical tradition no matter how small the church or strange the belief. Some of this music was recruitment propaganda, some was not. Either way, fringe faiths among musicians is not a new phenomenon.
How to watch Churchill’s famous polar bears live
Multiple livestreams offer a glimpse at polar bears, the northern lights, and more.
Organ concert series continues Oct. 14
As Central Lutheran Church, 259 West Wabasha Street, in Winona prepares for the renovation of their Hendrickson pipe organ, they are hosting a series of recitals featuring area organists. All
Windham business leaders sound off on townwide issues
The event, hosted by the Windham Economic Development Corp., featured wide-ranging discussion.
Understanding mental health through listening and sharing
The second day of the conference, “A Healing Presence: The Church’s Call to Mental Health Ministry,” reflects on the state of mental health among ...
NAMIWalks at Asbury Methodist Church raises over $116,000 for mental health awareness
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) held its annual walk fundraiser on Saturday at the Asbury Methodist Church on East Avenue.
Some churches are turning their empty lots into affordable housing
The grassy plot of land across the street from Trinity East United Methodist Church sat empty most of the time.
Mormon leader decries explosion in sports gambling, prediction markets
A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says an explosion in online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed among young people.
Sandwiches to socialism: How a DSA chapter in Austin is building political power
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — When the socialists filed into the pews of a church sanctuary in Texas, there were far more than would have attended just two years ago.
Downtown Gloversville businesses to be highlighted on Small Business Saturday
Organizations are asking Gloversville businesses to participate in an upcoming campaign to highlight local merchants.
Wear your costume to Haywood Community Band's 'Frightacular' concert
An exciting monster mash of music will fill the chapel at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville when the Haywood Community Band takes the stage for its “Frightacular” concert at
Portsmouth church works to close health literacy gap with community health event
St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church hosted a community day with health screenings and health care resources to help Portsmouth residents better understand their health and care options.
Americans who go to church and trust science are also more likely to believe in ghosts and curses, new research shows
Belief in science and belief in magic can coexist.
Chamber hosts Women in Business luncheon - Sent-trib
FINDLAY — The Ohio Star Quilters of Findlay will meet on Monday at 9:30 am at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1701 Tiffin Ave.
Israeli strike kills five in Gaza, including four women, health officials say
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu AlkasCAIRO/GAZA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - An Israeli airstrike killed at least five Palestinians, including four women, in an apartment building in Gaza City early on Saturday, health and civil defence service officials said.Among the dead were a Christian mother, Maisa Abu Dawoud, and her daughter Mary, medics and the church said.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.The strike destroyed the apartment building and started a fire.
The Science Behind Greener, Healthier Lawns
A healthy, green lawn can be the envy of any neighborhood, but how does someone cultivate a yard like that? Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Science Amber Churchill has been getting her hands dirty and digging into the science behind it.
ENTERTAINMENT: Fantasies, folk songs on Festival of the Senses program
Violinist Andrew Irvin, cellist David Gerstein and pianists Jaeyeon Park Hakutani and Naoki Hakutani perform for the opening Festival of the Senses concert Tuesday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in North Little Rock.
Davis Community Guitar Orchestra presents fall concert
The Davis Community Guitar Orchestra invites music lovers of all ages to an afternoon performance on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Davis Community Church, 412
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, joined by Eric Church, Kirk Franklin, Juvenile, Cyril Neville and Ivan Neville, perform during halftime of the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons
Why the LDS Church can wade into abortion politics — and even donate money — without risking its tax-exempt status
Here’s why the LDS and Catholic churches can weigh in on abortion politics without fear of repercussions from the IRS.
Rochester Mental Health Alliance Announces Upcoming 2026/2027 Community Meetings
The Rochester Mental Health Alliance announces upcoming 2026/2027 Community Meetings taking place at First United Methodist Church (Hurd Room), 34 S Main Street, on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. For more information, email kmichaud@cornerstonevna.org.
Pulpit Politics: Johnson Amendment Rarely Enforced
Oklahoma religious leaders are navigating a murky legal landscape around the Johnson Amendment, which bars tax-exempt churches from endorsing candidates but is rarely enforced. With a recent Texas lawsuit failing and Congress considering changes, some pastors endorse candidates without consequences while others see political neutrality as a theological obligation, not just a legal one.
Jenny McCarthy says A-lister tried recruiting her, recalls 'Scientology stare'
Jenny McCarthy says Tom Cruise once attempted to recruit her into joining the Church of Scientology.
Idaho churches can give to political campaigns, including anti-Prop 1 initiatives, without donor disclosure
Church pastor to lead ‘Faith and Politics’ study groups
Pastor Dana Spivy Glover is seen at her church, Hays Christian. Photo by Linn Ann Huntingt
Catawba Valley Health System opens Taylorsville Urgent Care
Catawba Valley Health System (CVHS) is pleased to announce the opening of Catawba Urgent Care of Mountain View in Taylorsville, effective Monday, October 19, 2026. Located at 50 Macedonia Church Road, Suite C, the new clinic becomes the fifth Catawba Urgent Care of Mountain View location. The Taylorsville location joins existing clinics in Sherrills Ford,…
Paʻūpili Lahaina 3rd Saturdays brings music, culture and community together on Oct. 17
The spirit of community continues to thrive in Lahaina as Paʻūpili Lahaina 3rd Saturdays returns on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lahaina United Methodist Church. The free, family-friendly gathering invites residents and visitors to spend the day enjoying Hawaiian culture, live music, hands-on activities, and opportunities to reconnect with friends, neighbors, and the greater Lahaina community.
200 supporters rally for Hinojosa as Abbott is expected to campaign in Houston-area this week
Democratic candidate for governor Gina Hinojosa rallies with supporters the day before the state of early voting. The race has tightened in recent weeks. Governor Greg Abbott is also expected to spend time in the southeast Texas this week.
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
A new Supreme Court term begins with cases on climate change, immigration and gun rights
The Supreme Court begins a new term Monday with significant cases on climate change, religious rights, and immigration | Newsradio 1140 WRVA