Religion

Carlos Alfaro, 19, practices with a soccer ball before a match in New York City. Some members of his youth soccer team are set to meet with Pope Francis in September.

Through Soccer, Teen Migrants Rebuild Lives And Get Chance To Meet Pope

6:17am October 20, 2015

by Hansi Lo Wang

During his U.S. visit in September, the pope is set to meet with unaccompanied minors from Central America who have formed a youth soccer team co-sponsored by New York's Catholic Charities.

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Evan Fritz, head brewer at Manayunk Brewing Co., draws off some samples of Papal Pleasure, a beer concocted to mark Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia. It's brewed with water blessed by a local priest.

Philly Preps Blessed Beer And Other Edible Swag To Greet Pope Francis

6:16am October 20, 2015

Enterprising businesses will mark the pope's visit to Philadelphia next month with irreverent tchotchkes — including beers brewed with holy water and toasters that etch the pontiff's face on bread.

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The Pope Slept Here: Special Preparations Underway For U.S. Visit

6:14am October 20, 2015

When the Pope visits, he won't be staying in any old hotel room. In fact, there's a lot of preparation in each room he stays in.

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Native Americans Protest Canonization Of Junipero Serra

6:10am October 20, 2015

by Sylvia Poggioli

When Pope Francis canonizes Junipero Serra, he will become the first Hispanic American saint. Analysts see this as an effort to restore the historical balance away from "Anglo-centric" interpretation of U.S. history to the importance of Catholic missions.

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Caryl Johnson (center) oversees communion at St. Mary Magdalene Community in Drexel Hill, Pa., as parishioners Janet Hamm and Jim Kalb assist. Unlike most traditional Roman Catholic services, a gluten-free bread and alcohol-free wine are offered.

In Defiance Of The Church, Some Catholic Women Seek Priesthood

6:04am October 20, 2015

by Jeff Brady

Caryl Johnson calls herself a priest, but technically she was excommunicated after being ordained. Johnson is one of many Catholic women who see a gap between what they believe and church dogma.

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The Rev. Rob Schenck, of the National Clergy Council (right), and the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, pray in front of the J. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C., in 2005. Schenck is a pro-life activ

An Evangelical Leader's Changing Views On Gun Ownership

7:38pm October 19, 2015

by NPR Staff

As legislators fail to find solutions to mass shootings, evangelical minister Rob Schenck thinks religious groups have a part to play in educating people about guns and their relationships with them.

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Eritrean Dies After Israeli Security Mistakes Him For Assailant In Bus Station Attack

4:38pm October 19, 2015

by Emily Harris

With tensions rising over Arab attacks on Israeli Jews, an Eritrean asylum seeker was mistaken for an assailant and killed — shot by a security guard and beaten by a mob.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaking at a news conference in Spain. Kerry will attempt to strike the right balance in separate meetings later this week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Religion

Kerry On Holy Site In Jerusalem: 'We're Not Seeking Outsiders Or Others To Come In'

4:22pm October 19, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

Kerry appeared to push back against a French proposal calling for an international presence at the holy site in order to preserve the status quo agreement. Israel is against the proposal.

Palestinians look at a new concrete wall erected by Israeli security forces in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber.

Religion

With Violent Clashes On The Rise, Israel Builds Wall In East Jerusalem

6:50pm October 18, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

News of the wall being erected comes a day after Israeli officials say five stabbings or attempted stabbings of Israelis by Palestinians assailants took place on Saturday.

Arabic and Persian calligraphy adorn the tinted windows of the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California.

With Song And Celebration, Mosque Chips Away At Sunni-Shiite Divide

5:56pm October 18, 2015

by Hana Baba

Sunni and Shiite Muslims have been in conflict for centuries. But a mosque in the Bay Area is trying to break down those walls. With music, open mic nights and open arms, they've found common ground.