Churches & Religion

Delegates walk by the large Romanesque rood before which St. Francis of Assisi was praying when he is said to have received the commission from the Lord to rebuild the Church as they arrive for the opening session of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at The Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. Pope Francis is convening a global gathering of bishops and laypeople to discuss the future of the Catholic Church, including some hot-button issues that have previously been considered off the table for discussion. Key agenda items include women's role in the church, welcoming LGBTQ+ Catholics, and how bishops exercise authority. For the first time, women and laypeople can vote on specific proposals alongside bishops.

Pope Francis opens a big Vatican meeting on the church’s future and says ‘everyone’ is welcome

October 4, 2023, 7:40am Churches & Religion

Pope Francis said the Catholic Church was in need of repair to make it a place of welcome for “everyone, everyone, everyone,” as he opened a big meeting on the future of the faith that has sparked hope among progressives and alarm among conservatives. Read story

The angel Moroni statue atop the Salt Lake Temple is silhouetted against a cloud-covered sky at Temple Square in Salt Lake City in 2013. The Latter-day Saints have announced plans to build multiple temples in the U.S. — including one in Vancouver.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to build temple in Vancouver

October 4, 2023, 6:03am Churches & Religion

Local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have responded with joy to news that the church will build a new temple in Vancouver. Read story

The workspace for the the synod of bishops starting on Oct. 4, 2023, is set up inside the Paul VI Hall at The Vatican, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. Pope Francis is opening a global gathering of bishops and laypeople to discuss the future of the Catholic Church, including some hot-button issues that have previously been considered off-limits for discussion. For the first time, women and laypeople can vote on specific proposals alongside bishops, a radical change that is evidence of Francis' belief that the church is more about its flock than its shepherds.

Things to know about the Vatican’s big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church

October 3, 2023, 7:57am Churches & Religion

Pope Francis on Wednesday is opening a global gathering of bishops and laypeople to discuss the future of the Catholic Church, including some hot-button issues that have previously been considered off-limits for discussion. Read story

Tibetan Buddhist monk Nawang Shakga works on a sand mandala Monday at Clark College's Cannell Library. The mandala's creation began with the outline of a small orange circle at the very center, which was then filled with a soft pink.

Tibetan monks begin weeklong construction of sand mandala at Clark College

October 3, 2023, 6:04am Churches & Religion Subscriber Exclusive

Enveloped in the studious silence of Clark College’s library, Tibetan Buddhist monk Nawang Shakga used delicate metal tools to create a small circle of fine, orange sand. Read story

FILE -- Maria Lia Zervino one of the first women chosen by Pope Francis to be on the Dicastery for Bishops poses for a picture during an interview with the Associated Press in Rome, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023. For Zervino, who worked alongside the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio when both held positions in the Argentine bishops conference, the upcoming synod of bishops is a watershed moment for the church and quite possibly the most consequential thing Francis will have undertaken as pope. This edition is different because Francis has allowed women and other laypeople to vote alongside bishops.

Women’s voices and votes loom large as pope is set to open a Vatican meeting on church’s future

October 2, 2023, 7:57am Churches & Religion

A few years ago, Pope Francis told the head of the main Vatican-backed Catholic women’s organization to be “brave” in pushing for change for women in the Catholic Church. Read story

A green card processing change means U.S. could lose thousands of faith leaders from abroad

The Rev. Gustavo Castillo preaches to his congregation at the Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latinoamericana in Columbia Heights, Minn., on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. The federal government recently moved thousands of green card applications for vulnerable minors from Central America in the queue for religious workers, leading to long delays and thus putting ministers on temporary work visas like Castillo at risk of losing the ability to stay in the United States.

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. Read story

Washington National Cathedral unveils stained glass windows

Light shines through new stained-glass windows with a theme of racial justice Sept. 2 during an unveiling and dedication ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral for the window in Washington.

The landmark Washington National Cathedral unveiled new stained-glass windows Saturday with a theme of racial justice, filling the space that had once held four windows honoring Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Read story