RNS Morning Report - Inside a complicated Vatican July Fourth

Inside a complicated Vatican July Fourth     RNS Vatican Reporter Claire Giangravè reports from this year’s Independence Day party at the private residence of the United States’ ambassador to the Holy See. The event was a brightly colored spectacle mixing the patriotic with the sacred, as cardinals in town for a summit lined up to cut a star-spangled cake.   As American hits played in the background and the smell of corndogs filled Rome’s hot summer evening air, the crowd of U.S. expats and Vatican officials offered a heartwarming snapshot of the relationship between the Holy See and the global superpower.   But beneath the bunting and patriotic nostalgia, the celebration belied a more complicated truth: The first American pope may have brought Washington and Rome closer symbolically, but not necessarily politically.         Top Stories Cardinals, cake and corndogs: Inside a complicated Vatican July 4 VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The first American-born pope may have brought Washington and Rome closer symbolically, but not necessarily politically, as tensions over peace and immigration continue to complicate U.S.-Holy See relations on the 250th anniversary of the United States. The conservative Christian women turning moral urgency into political power (RNS) — Katie Gaddini, a visiting scholar at Stanford University, spoke to RNS about the women she profiles in her new book, "Esther's Army." Catholic legal aid group for immigrants nears collapse as US withholds funds EL PASO, Texas (RNS and El Paso Matters) — The El Paso Diocese-run nonprofit is one of the largest providers of legal services for unaccompanied children. It says the US is defying a court order. Opinion The July 4 white supremacist march exposes an uncomfortable truth about our country (RNS) — If we take our nation's long history of exclusionary politics seriously, it illuminates how white supremacist groups frame themselves as patriots. They believe they are not viruses to the American project, but white blood cells. ICYMI On July 4th, Pope Leo asks United States, Europe: Who is your neighbor? VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Standing among the graves of migrants, Pope Leo turned America’s birthday into a pointed appeal for welcoming the stranger. Reeling from Venezuela’s earthquakes, churches rush to inspect buildings, distribute supplies (RNS) — Despite the fact that many Venezuelan faith leaders have been themselves impacted by the ongoing disaster, they’ve sprung into action to provide food, psychological support and other basic needs to the large population of victims. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

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