Religion category

Catholic churches see a surge of new converts

People are joining the Catholic Church in surprising numbers. This Easter, the Archdiocese of Detroit will receive 1,428 new Catholics into the church, its highest number in 21 years. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will have its most in 15 years. In the Diocese of Des Moines, the count is jumping...
Jewish communities boost security and continue observances amid rise in hateful incidents

Law enforcement officials on Tuesday said they are taking steps to monitor and counter threats to Jewish and Muslim communities nationwide since the onset of war in the Middle East, multiple hate crimes and an attempted terror attack prompted increased security measures at places of worship and investigations into extremist...
Pete Hegseth’s Christian rhetoric draws renewed scrutiny after the U.S. goes to war with Iran

WASHINGTON — Since becoming defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has found no shortage of ways to bring his strand of conservative evangelicalism into the Pentagon. He hosts monthly Christian worship services for employees. His department’s promotional videos have displayed Bible verses alongside military footage. In speeches and interviews, he often argues...
After latest attack, some Jews wonder how much more security is possible

In the eight years since a gunman killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh — the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history — synagogues and other Jewish institutions across the country have gone to great lengths to fortify themselves. They have hired security guards, installed metal...
St. Agnes Church resumes fish fries after yearlong pause to renovate social hall

St. Agnes Church in North Huntingdon has its annual fish fries down to a science — at least that’s how volunteer Diane Pesarsick describes it. For four weeks leading up to Easter, more than 120 churchgoers get into a rhythm. Boxes of food — fish, french fries and ingredients for...
Hundreds attend Ash Wednesday services in Greensburg

Students from Aquinas Academy, an elementary school adjacent to Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg, were among hundreds of people to visit the cathedral for Ash Wednesday services....
Member of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission ousted in dispute over antisemitism

A member of the federal Religious Liberty Commission has been ousted after a hearing this week that featured tense exchanges on the definition of antisemitism. The ousted member, Carrie Prejean Boller, had defended prominent commentator Candace Owens, who routinely shares antisemitic conspiracy theories. Prejean Boller, a model turned conservative activist,...
Diocese of Pittsburgh to close 7 churches next month

The Diocese of Pittsburgh will close seven of eight churches in its Saint Joseph the Worker Parish next month. During Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses, pastor Rev. Michael Stumpf read churchgoers a letter written by Bishop Mark Eckman, outlining the closure of the seven churches — Good Shepherd in...
Churches in Western Pa. excuse Mass attendance as snowstorm approaches

The Catholic dioceses in Pittsburgh and Greensburg granted dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass over the weekend because of the impending winter storm. Pittsburgh Bishop Mark Eckman and Greensburg Bishop Larry J. Kulick announced the exemption Friday, urging parishioners to prioritize safety when considering weekend travel. “No one...
Ancient meditation practices find new life in modern religious communities across America

On most Monday nights, the sanctuary of All Saints Episcopal Church — with its vaulted ceilings, stone arches and stained-glass windows — seamlessly transforms into a space of quiet contemplation. It’s in this Gothic Revival church in Pasadena, California, that Betty Cole, a longtime Zen practitioner and “card-carrying Episcopalian,” leads...
Diocese of Greensburg ‘on the cusp’ of revival going into 75th anniversary, bishop says

When the Rev. Alexander Pleban looks back on his nearly 60-year career as a priest, one feeling in particular stands out among the flood of emotions. “I feel very, very blessed that my priesthood was during the golden age of the diocese,” said Pleban, 95. He’s talking about the 1970s...
International priests fill vital roles in keeping Diocese of Greensburg operating

After more than a decade of educating aspiring Catholic priests in his native Philippines, the Rev. Jay Jacinto was ready for a change. Jacinto, 48, was ordained in 2005. He worked in the Philippines for 17 years before volunteering to serve abroad in 2022. A year later, the bishop of...
Everything you need to know about Christmas, and how it has evolved into a global holiday

Christmas is a Christian holiday that observes the birth of Jesus. But did you know that the earliest followers of Jesus did not annually commemorate his birth? Or that Santa Claus is inspired by the acts of kindness of a fourth-century Christian saint? And have you heard about the modern-day...
Pittsburgh Presbyterian churches collect donations to eliminate $14 million in medical debt

Amy Grella and her family know how stressful medical debt can become. Grella’s daughter underwent five stays in the hospital before her fifth birthday because of ongoing problems with persistent viral respiratory infections. The Mt. Lebanon family had health insurance, but their claims fell into loopholes and exclusions in their...
10th annual Light Up the Night in Monroeville a success despite cold, tragedy in Australia

Even with frigid temperatures, the Chabad Jewish Center of Monroeville celebrated its 10th annual Light Up the Night on Dec. 15 in Community Park West. The evening marked the second night of Hanukkah, which starts on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Jewish calendar. Because of...
Pope Leo XIV’s 1st full-length U.S. book, ‘Peace Be with You,’ to be released in February

NEW YORK — The first full-length book by Pope Leo XIV to come out in the U.S. will be published next year. HarperOne announced Wednesday that it had acquired world rights to “Peace Be with You! My Words to the Church and to the World,” scheduled for release on Feb....

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