Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, trailblazer and champion of liberal priorities, dies at age 90

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat and champion of liberal causes who was elected to the Senate in 1992 and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90. Feinstein died on Thursday...

Baltimore Archdiocese files for bankruptcy before new law on abuse lawsuits takes effect

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Archdiocese of Baltimore on Friday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization days before a new state law goes into effect removing the statute of limitations on child sex abuse claims and allowing victims to sue their abusers decades after the fact. The...

A green card processing change means US could lose thousands of faith leaders from abroad

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. (AP) — For more than two hours on a Sunday afternoon, the Rev. Gustavo Castillo led the Pentecostal congregation he’s been growing in this Minneapolis suburb through prayer, Scriptures, rousing music and sometimes tearful testimonials. But it all may end...

Catholic Baltimore Archdiocese says it will file for bankruptcy before new law on church abuse lawsuits takes effect

Inspired by llamas, the desert and Mother Earth, these craftswomen weave sacred textiles

COLCHANE, Chile (AP) — In northern Chile, Teófila Challapa learned to weave surrounded by the hills and sandy roads of the Atacama Desert. “Spin the threads, girl,” her grandmother told her a half a century ago. Aymara women like Challapa, now 59, become...

Soccer player Paulinho won't let intolerance of his Afro-Brazilian religion stop his faith

LAGOA SANTA, Brazil (AP) — When Brazilian soccer player Paulinho scored a goal at the Tokyo Olympics, he celebrated by pointing an imaginary arrow at the flashing cameras as homage to a deity in his persecuted Afro-Brazilian faith – and taking aim at religious intolerance. ...

A Belgian bishop says the Vatican has for years snubbed pleas to defrock a pedophile ex-colleague

BRUSSELS (AP) — A prominent Belgian bishop on Wednesday criticized the Vatican for failing to defrock a former bishop who admitted sexually abusing children, saying it had led to massive frustration with the highest Roman Catholic authorities. Disgraced bishop Roger Vangheluwe,...

Revised report on Maryland church sex abuse leaves 5 church leaders’ names still redacted

BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland’s attorney general released some previously redacted names in its staggering report on child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday, but the names of five Catholic Church leaders remained redacted amid ongoing appeals, prompting criticism of the church by...

Less-redacted report on Maryland church abuse still redacts names of church leaders

BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland's attorney general released some previously redacted names in its staggering report on child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday, but the names of five Catholic church leaders remained redacted amid ongoing appeals, prompting criticism of the church by...

Vatican presses world leaders at UN to work on rules for lethal autonomous weapons

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Vatican's top diplomat urged world leaders Tuesday to put a pause on lethal autonomous weapons systems for long enough negotiate an agreement on them, joining a series of U.N. General Assembly speakers who have expressed concern about various aspects of artificial...