U.S. Catholic bishops urge ‘fair representation’ on Voting Rights Act anniversary
A subcommittee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) urged policymakers to protect “fair representation” in elections ahead of the 61st anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Read more

Archbishop Mullally ends Africa tour with calls for healing from church’s role in slavery 
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — The trip marked Mullally’s first visit to Africa and highlighted the Church of England’s controversial reparations fund to address its historic links to slavery. Read more

Camino de Santiago attracts 500,000 visitors a year, but climate change threatens it
Even northern Spain — humid, green and temperate — has long been considered a climate refuge from the country’s scorching summers. It is now increasingly experiencing extreme events like heatwaves, driven by climate change. Read more

A rare glimpse into Tibet, where some hope to preserve language and customs despite China’s new law
Under the new regulations, acts deemed to incite division among China’s 56 ethnic groups are prohibited. Schools, families and other institutions are expected to foster patriotism, national unity and a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. Read more

Ministry of mercy in a place of need
Michigan United Methodists have launched a new ministry, Helping Hands, to reach out to those detained by ICE at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin with the love of Christ. Read more

Inclusivity brings UMC church back from the brink
A cinder block thrown through a sanctuary window and a sign from a sign helped convince Glenda Gladden and her wife, Sandra Sullivan, that Glendale United Methodist Church was the place for them. “We were literally walking in the door, and we had been praying for a sign from God as to where we needed to go (to church), and that sign fell over and hit my wife on the head. Read more

At Vatican peace concert, Pope Leo XIV tells children music can overcome division 
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As wars intensify in Ukraine and the Middle East, Pope Leo XIV joined Israeli and Palestinian children, as well as children from other countries, at Castel Gandolfo for an interfaith concert highlighting music’s power to bridge divisions. Read more

Houston mothers challenge Ten Commandments in public schools
Three Houston mothers are suing to stop displaying the Ten Commandments in Texas public school classrooms, arguing that it violates the state’s religious freedom law and a voter-approved parental rights amendment. Read more

Israeli strike damages Christian-run hospital in Gaza, Catholic aid group says
Israeli airstrikes on an apartment building adjacent to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City damaged the hospital on the evening of July 29, blowing out windows and doors, and frightening patients and medical staff, according to a report by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). Read more

‘A deal with the devil’: Religion motivates data center opponents in Texas 
(RNS) — Some see the facilities’ construction as a sign of the apocalypse, while others see it as an opportunity to advocate for environmental stewardship. Read more

Pew Research: How Americans Are Engaged With News, Politics, Religion and Civic Life
Americans’ engagement with others is not one-dimensional, according to a new Pew Research Center study from the Pew-Knight Initiative. We looked across a range of behaviors: political activity, civic involvement, religious attendance and attention to news. Read more

In a Tisha B’Av reversal, these American Jews grieve for destruction of Palestinian lives 
(RNS) — Seven cities across the country — including Boston, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Seattle — held similar public rituals to mark the Jewish day of mourning. Read more

Major restoration in Minneapolis aims to renew ‘every square inch’ of country’s oldest basilica
The massive church was dedicated in 1915 and became the first basilica in the United States when it was designated as such by Pope Pius XI in 1926. Read more

‘It’s a sin if you do not vote’: Progressive National Baptists urge midterm turnout 
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Progressive National Baptist Convention President David Peoples ended his tenure leading the historically Black denomination with a plea for members of its churches to do everything they could to get people — in their churches and in their homes — out to the polls for the November midterm elections. Read more