Churches across the U. S. are facing an unseen crisis: fewer people are stepping up to serve as spiritual leaders. Over the past few years, training programs for pastors and priests haven’t just slowed down—they’re shrinking. Schools that prepare clergy have seen a sharp drop in students, with some
A government panel created last year is stirring controversy by pushing ideas that could reshape how religion interacts with public life in America. The group, made up mostly of conservative Christian leaders, recently shared its goals in public meetings. Their proposals include giving religious gro
On a quiet April night in Staten Island, a 31-year-old man allegedly grabbed a small statue of Mary holding baby Jesus from outside a local church and threw it into the grass. The statue wasn’t just decorative—it was one of two identical figures placed on either side of the main entrance to Our Lady
A 140-year-old church near Chicago’s United Center is fighting to stay alive as the area around it transforms. Greater Union Baptist Church, with its striking red brick walls and intricate wooden ceiling, has been closed since 2022 because of a broken heating system and an unpaid $14, 000 gas bill.
A recent discussion explores how American evangelical Christians are divided when it comes to enforcing immigration laws. The conversation began with two experts who regularly think about how religion and government should interact. One is a long‑time religion reporter, the other leads a group that
New York’s Catholic leadership has agreed to pay 800 million dollars to people who were abused by priests as kids. Over 1, 300 survivors will share this money, making it one of the biggest payouts ever in the U. S. for clergy abuse cases. Only Los Angeles gave more—880 million—when it settled simila
Every year, more than a million young people worldwide sign up for faith-based classes run by the Church. These classes, called Seminaries and Institutes, have hit a record enrollment just as the program turns 100 years old. The leader of the Church, President Oaks, recently sent videos urging 14-to
Highland Park is rolling out a new summer plan to give kids better options than trouble. Police report youth crime has jumped nearly one-fifth in the past year, with theft and fights involving teens on the rise. Some worry adults might be taking advantage of lighter juvenile penalties by pushing you
A 61‑year‑old woman, Denise Irene Roberts, is set to face an arson trial after a judge decided the evidence was not strong enough for a hate crime charge. The court said Roberts could receive up to six years in prison if found guilty of setting the fire, instead of a potential nine‑year sentence tha
During a recent stop in Angola, Pope Leo used his platform to highlight a troubling trend: many people around the world face unfair treatment from those in power. Speaking to a large crowd in Saurimo, near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he pointed out how oppression and dishonesty c
