"Many dismiss the historic American principle of the separation of church and state. They say they do not advocate a theocracy, but argue for a foundational role for their faith in government."

"A Catholic church in Kentucky held what it called a "Service of Atonement and Apology to the LGBTQ+ Community" on Thursday night – the final night of Pride Month."

Excited/anguished to share a year's worth of reporting, and a lifetime's worth of disillusionment. I hope you'll take some time to read.

CNN: Last parent of a child killed in the Birmingham 16th Street Baptist Church bombing dies at 93. >"The last living parent of one of the _...Read More_

"Catholic nuns schooled Biden as a boy, and faith comforted him as an adult. Church for him is home. Now prominent voices in that extended Catholic family are telling him that he is, in important respects, unwelcome. Some conservative _...Read More_

>"The families of nine people fatally shot in 2015 at a historically Black church in Charleston, South Carolina, have reached an $88 million settlement with the Justice Department in their lawsuit over the shooter's weapon purchase, _...Read More_

>"I fear that when Americans look at the Church, they see not the face of Jesus, but the style of Donald Trump."

>"The move came after pleas from dozens of families of those killed in 2019 when a white supremacist opened fire on Muslims at prayer."

"Rod of Iron Ministries has been on a property-buying spree and says it plans to build a training center and spiritual retreat."

"Some Catholics hope it will lead to change on issues such as women's ordination, married priests and same-sex relationships.'

>"The abuse of more than 200,000 minors by clergy over the past seven decades has shaken the nation and what was once a pillar of French society."

"The head of the inquiry said there were at least 2,900-3,200 abusers, and accused the Church of showing a "cruel indifference towards the victims."

"Montenegro clashes as Serb Orthodox Church leader installed" There have been fierce clashes in Montenegro as the Serbian Orthodox church installed a new leader in a ceremony that exposed divisions in the Balkan country."

>"It was a mistake to believe that bombs and missiles and drones and tanks could ever bring peace."

Neither past analogies nor present trends supply much clarity about the Catholic Church’s future, DouthatNYT says. “The better part of wisdom is to simply say, ‘God knows.’