No images? Click here Lead storyEditor's note: After three years of discussions at every level of the Catholic church, many are wondering if Pope Francis’ worldwide consultation of Catholics, called the Synod on Synodality, is really moving the needle in any kind of meaningful way. October’s monthlong convening of Catholic leaders, from bishops to nuns, may have included some spirited roundtable discussions on the most controversial issues facing the church, but the document it yielded was tepid at best, avoiding even the term “LGBTQ.” The synod’s organizers, however, maintain the process is working and is already changing the face of Catholicism, reports RNS’s Claire Giangravé. Even the controversy over blessing gay couples is an example of synodality at work, according to Sr. Nathalie Becquart. “The fact that people react, including bishops and bishop’s conferences, is a fruit of the synod in a way,” she said. A second gathering is scheduled for October 2024 and is expected to produce a final document addressing issues from women’s ordination to LGBTQ inclusion. Religion NewsAuschwitz survivor decries rise of the far right and increased antisemitism in GermanyA Jewish death camp survivor told Germany’s parliament that she is appalled by the rising strength of the far right in the country and increasing antisemitism. By The Associated Press The UMC lost a quarter of its churches — most in the SouthThe same area of the country that tends to be the most politically conservative and Republican-leaning was where most United Methodist churches voted to leave the denomination. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service Hindu Americans are making inroads into the political space like never before. By Richa Karmarkar/Religion News Service Panthers coach Dave Canales co-wrote book about infidelity, binge drinking, addiction to pornographyThe book details how the coach has worked to overcome his problems and the couple found its way back to a healthy, Christian-based marriage. By Steve Reed/The Associated Press Who was St. Brigid and why is she inspiring many 1,500 years after her death?Devotees of St. Brigid celebrated her recently with the return of a relic associated with the so-called matron saint of Ireland. By Peter Smith/The Associated Press Commentary and AnalysisIn recent years, the relationship between antisemitism and anti-Zionism has taken on renewed importance and competing definitions of antisemitism have emerged. What is antisemitism? By Joshua Shanes for The Conversation Many young people today know little about the murder of European Jews during the Holocaust, and even less about the murder of Romani communities. By Ari Joskowicz for The Conversation A scholar of Hinduism explains the importance of the consecration ritual, which is believed to bring the presence of the divine into the temple. By Vasudha Narayanan for The Conversation Americans' loss of a democratic imagination is bigger than a loss in the ballot box. By Andre Henry/Religion News Service A general view of the audience during the opening of the Ram Mandir, a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Ram, in Ayodhya, India, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to open the controversial Hindu temple built on the ruins of an ancient mosque in the holy city of Ayodhya in a grand event that is expected to galvanize Hindu voters months before a general election. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.
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