Stories: Catholicism
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Is the Pope’s Concern for Immigration Just a “Numbers Game”?
Pope Francis may differ greatly in tone from Pope Benedict, but on many social issues Francis can expect the same pushback his predecessor received in the United States. When Pope Benedict brought up immigration on his 2008 trip to the United States, for example, conservative voices argued that his support of immigrants was self-serving. Then-Representative Tom Tancredo, a Republican from...
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After Scandals, Ireland Is No Longer ‘Most Catholic Country in the World’
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Pope Paul VI had a phrase for Ireland. Back in 1946, he called it the most Catholic country in the world. This is the story of how Ireland has become a little less so. DAVID GREENE, HOST: Last spring, Irish voters ignored the church's opposition and approved gay marriage. This came after scandals involving priests and a...
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As More Irish Turn Away From Catholicism, Parents Call for Non-Religious Schools
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: In the U.S., parents who want to give their children a religious education have to pay for it for the most part. In Ireland, it's the opposite - 92 percent of state schools are run by the Catholic Church. That's even though growing numbers of people in Ireland no longer identify as Catholic. And this...
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With Religious Affiliation on the Decline, What Should Happen to Hallowed Buildings?
Katy Perry wants to live in a convent. No, she is not among the young women who want to become a Catholic sister (and yes, they do exist). She has negotiated with the Los Angeles Archdiocese to buy a former convent in Los Feliz, one of the trendiest neighborhoods in L.A. The real estate deal attracted national media...
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Could Pope Francis Change Hearts and Minds on Immigration on a Global Scale?
A few months into his papacy, Pope Francis took his first trip out of Rome to Lampedusa, the Italian island through which many migrants enter Europe after a treacherous journey across the Mediterranean. Noting that shipwrecks of migrant boats happened “all too frequently,” Francis blamed “the globalization of indifference.” “We have become used to the...