RNS Morning Report: Christian groups step up harassment of pagan festivals

Top Stories Christian groups step up harassment of pagan festivals (RNS) — American pagans and witches depend heavily on assemblies with names like Pagan Pride and Between the Worlds to share information and camaraderie.   Eight over 80: Ruth Messinger’s long second act honors ‘an obligation to respond’ (RNS) — After her two decades as a New York City politician, anyone may have reasonably assumed Messinger’s career in public service complete. But Messinger was hardly done.    Jehovah’s Witnesses to return to door knocking, a sign of new COVID-19 stage (RNS) — Door knocking has not only been a physical mainstay for Jehovah’s Witnesses but an ideal they have fought for in courtrooms.   Cardinal Becciu says Pope Francis will restore his cardinal rights despite ongoing trial (RNS) — The cardinal, currently charged in a Vatican trial involving financial scandals, said he was 'moved' by the pope’s decision.   Demolition of shuttered church begins after long battle PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Demolition of the 140-year-old St. Laurentius Church in Philadelphia has begun after years of efforts by some in the area to save the "heavily deteriorated" 19th century building.   Protesters demand Utah require clergy to report sex abuse SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Protestors, including religious leaders and survivors, gathered at the Utah State Capitol on Friday to rally against a state law that exempts Mormon leaders from being required to report child sexual abuse brought to their attention in church confessionals.   Officials: Landslide at Shiite shrine in Iraq kills 7 BAGHDAD (AP) – Iraqi officials say a landslide collapsed the ceiling of a Shiite shrine near the holy city of Karbala, killing at least seven people. RNS Opinion No, Mr. Abbas, there weren’t ‘50 Holocausts’ (RNS) — It is vulgar, inaccurate — and all too common. Hold the metaphor, please. ICYMI ‘God is life,’ Rabbi Yonatan Neril on ecological conversion and the war in Ukraine (RNS) — Rabbi Yonatan Neril is the founder and executive director of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development — a Jerusalem-based nonprofit engaged in revealing the connection between religion and ecology worldwide.   My favorite Christian author has died (RNS) — He wrote one of the best lines about the religious life that I have ever read. I miss him already. In Other News Evangelical Christian churches gain ground in majority Catholic Brazil Archbishop Rembert Weakland, critic of Vatican orthodoxy, dies at 95   Talk to Us We want your feedback on the RNS Morning Report — what you think we're doing right and what we should be doing differently. Send us an email at Comments@ReligionNews.com Subscribe to other RNS Newsletters. Forward this email to a friend. View the archive of past newsletters. Religion News Service is free to read, but it's not free to produce. If you value our reporting, please consider making a donation today at religionnews.com/donate. If you prefer to mail a donation, please address to: Religion News Foundation, PO Box 1808, Columbia, MO 65205. Yes, I support the work you're doing! Forward this email to a friend