America's elderly prisoner boom

 

In America some 2.2 million people are behind bars, and the prisoners are getting older. The number of people over the age of 65 who were in prison has doubled since 2007. In fact, aging men and women are the most rapidly growing part of America's prison population. In part, this is the hangover effect of the 1980s and 90s when a perfect storm of high crime rates and tough sentencing laws caused prison populations to soar. Phillip Burdick is 64. He works alongside Mr Baxter in a program called the Gold Coats. The volunteer inmates who become Gold Coats are carefully screened and shadow an experienced volunteer sometimes for several months of training. Older prisoners often have special needs; some have problems with mobility, others dementia or mental health.

The Francis Effect

 

From the moment Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, he won the people's hearts. His humility, simplicity, and closeness to the poor reveal a man sincerely in touch with the Gospel. His profile has soared. He initiated a fundamental reform of the Roman Curia, challenged a "globalization of indifference," and became the most talked-about person in the world.

Should Catholics identify as ‘feminists’?

Lourdes bishop covers Rupnik mosaics on doors to Basilica of the Rosary

Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes called the decision a “second step” after his initial decision in July 2024 to no longer light up the mosaics at night.

Pope Francis appoints Bishop Michael McGovern to lead Archdiocese of Omaha

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Michael McGovern of Belleville, Illinois, to lead the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska.

Pope Francis approves decree to advance sainthood causes of 5 people

Among those to be canonized are Blessed Peter To Rot of Papua New Guinea, Blessed Ignatius Shoukrallah Maloyan of Turkey, and Blessed María Carmen of Venezuela.

Should Catholics identify as ‘feminists’? Notre Dame conference tackles the issue

Should Catholics identify as “feminists?” A panel of prominent female Catholic thinkers explored the question at a recent conference at the University of Notre Dame.

U.S. bishops urge Congress to stop funding abortion and ‘gender transition’ services

The letter was sent following the announcement that the Trump administration plans to freeze millions of taxpayer dollars from subsidizing abortion services.

‘Sharing the Crust: A Communion of Saints in a Baltimore Neighborhood’

The brain, the heart and the soul: How three Catholic churches are merging to create a new type of parish BY CLAIRE ZULKEY

Catalytic organizations inspire BY DAVID L. ODOM

Disruption is often the key to renewal BY JASON BUTLER

A dying church’s gift inspires a young congregation to help people experiencing homelessness

Resist the drama of national electoral politics and invest your time in local issues

By Adam Joyce

Engaging in local politics helps avoid “political hobbyism” and focuses on the spaces most immediate to our lives.

Building a great affirmation: 3 postelection truths every church can claim

By Andy Stanton-Henry

In the midst of ongoing political turmoil, pastors can step back and cling to three affirmations.

The work of preparing for leadership changes has biblical roots and modern models

By Elizabeth Tamez Méndez

Decentralized networks and intergenerational storytelling better prepare organizations for leadership succession, writes a director of programs and grants for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

‘Sharing the Crust: A Communion of Saints in a Baltimore Neighborhood’

By Mark R. Gornik

In this excerpt, the author writes about his friend and mentor Allan Tibbels’ “gift of prophetic conscience” and how it drove his work to build Christian community in a marginalized neighborhood.

Composting the church offers flourishing in the shadow of decline

By McKenna Wallen

As with a garden, so with the church — the remnants at the end of one season enrich growth for new opportunities in the next, writes a Presbyterian pastor.

The visionary and the implementer: Partners combine strengths to launch a housing development for formerly homeless older adults

By Robyn Ross

When San Antonio’s Catholic Worker house grew from offering a feeding ministry to building affordable housing, its leader got help from a surprising source: an administrator in the city department that had tried to shut it down.

What to make of miracles

Pope’s doctor calls recovery ‘miraculous,’ says Francis wanted to keep fighting
Crux: Pope Francis’s primary doctor during his hospitalization has said it was the pope himself who chose to keep trying different therapies when his life was most at risk, and has attributed the pontiff’s “miraculous” recovery, in part, to prayer.

The ADL quietly eliminated its anti-bias educational program
Religion News Service: In the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the ADL shifted its focus to combating antisemitism.

What to make of miracles*
The Atlantic: In a new book, Elaine Pagels searches for the narrative origins of Jesus’s most wondrous acts.

Judge disregarded bankruptcy trustee’s recommendation and punished New Orleans clergy abuse survivors
The Guardian: Molestation survivors were removed from the committee in settlement talks after a lawyer was accused of improperly identifying school chaplain as child sexual abuser.

New film tells story of Audrey Evans, Episcopalian doctor who co-founded Ronald McDonald House*
The Christian Century: “Audrey’s Children” is a feature-length biopic about Audrey Evans, a pioneering British American pediatric oncologist and a devout Episcopalian who co-founded Ronald McDonald House Charities.

A Political Tightrope

 

 

Some Christians want to focus on personal morality and leave public morality to secular politicians. Others seek ways to guide the broader culture while still communicating grace. Rather than propose a single path, I will instead make a few observations and suggestions for Christians to consider as we interact with a world that does not always share our views.

Good News Missionary Baptist Church on April 06 at 6pm

 

St. Mark's City Heights Episcopal Church

 

Sale of relics of Blessed Carlo Acustis

Jesuits acknowledge failures in Rupnik abuse scandal and offer victims path to healing

Valentina di Giorgio

The Jesuit letter invited each victim to express their personal needs and the kind of support they require, stating that any form of reparation would be tailored to the individual. However, the order also maintained that, to protect victims’ privacy, it would not publicly disclose details of these dialogues.

Sale of relics of Blessed Carlo Acustis: Italian prosecutor’s office investigates one month before his canonization

Valentina di Giorgio

Under Catholic Church law, the sale of first- and second-class relics is strictly forbidden. First-class relics—such as body parts or hair from a saint—are considered sacred and cannot be bought or sold under any circumstances. Only donations, properly authorized, are permitted. Even second-class relics, which include items used or worn by a saint, are subject to similar restrictions.

Sweden Protestants will only employ priests willing to “marry” same-sex couples

Joachin Meisner Hertz

The controversy extends beyond legal arguments and touches on deep theological concerns. Historically, the Church of Sweden transitioned from blessing same-sex couples to officiating their marriages. Now, it appears poised to make officiating such unions a requirement for newly ordained clergy.

French Laïcité vs. American Secularism

ZENIT Staff

When Americans look at bans on religious clothing in France, they should remember the broader historical and social context, and that laïcité remains a decisively French answer to universal problems.

Names of more than 50,000 people killed in Gaza by Israel published

ZENIT Staff

The 981 page list makes chilling reading. One researcher said: «Reading out of names of the Gaza dead is a very spiritual ritual. Though at 10 names per minute it would take 83 hours

Church calls on legislature to investigate child sexual abuse in state-run facilities and to treat all victims of abuse equally

ZENIT Staff

The Maryland Catholic Conference issued the following statement on March 26, 2025 on House Bill 1378:

Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” sequel to begin filming in August 2025

Tim Daniels

Returning alongside Caviezel are Maia Morgenstern, who portrayed Mary, and Francesco De Vito, who played Saint Peter, according to IMDb.

Pope Francis Calls for a Cultural Shift in Child Protection Within the Church

Valentina di Giorgio

«Prevention of abuse is not a blanket to be pulled out in times of emergency but one of the foundations on which to build communities faithful to the Gospel,» the pope wrote to the participants of the PCPM’s Plenary Assembly, held from March 24 to 28.

Jesus heals our wounds so we can love others

Jubilee of Hope: Missionaries of Mercy priests celebrate Mass in Rome

Hundreds of “Missionaries of Mercy” — priests with the authority to “pardon sins reserved to the Holy See” —gathered in Rome on Sunday for a special Mass connected to the Jubilee of Hope.

Notre Dame to honor Catholic Charities president for ‘faith-filled service’

Established in 1883 and granted annually, the school’s Laetare Medal is “the oldest and most prestigious honor given to American Catholics,” the school says.

Cardinal’s role in effort to ‘resignify’ Franco era war monument sparks controversy

Cardinal José Cobo is defending his role as an interlocutor between the Vatican and the Spanish government in the process of resignifying the Valley of the Fallen.

Lebanon will soon have its own ‘camino,’ once traveled by Christ and the Romans

The Caminos Lebanon project seeks to highlight Lebanon’s rich religious heritage by creating a comprehensive network of pilgrimage trails.

Pope Francis in Sunday Angelus: Jesus heals our wounds so we can love others

The Holy Father expressed his heartfelt thanks to all who reflect the “image of the Savior” and work as “instruments of healing.”