Religion

Church Of England To Begin Blessing Same-Sex Couples

Via press release from the Church Of England: A selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples can be used in Church of England services for the first time from Sunday, December 17, following approval by the House of Bishops. The final texts of Prayers of Love and Faith, commended for use …

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RI Catholic Priest Gets Six Years On Child Porn Charges

The Providence Journal reports: Calling his crimes egregious and an enormous violation of the trust to the parishioners he once served, a federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a former Roman Catholic priest to serve six years in prison. “I’m strongly inclined to give you more than that,” U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith said in sentencing Rev. James Ward …

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Evangelical Leader Resigns Over Arrest In Public Park

Religion News Service reports: The pastor of Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church — an influential Presbyterian Church in America congregation — resigned after a past arrest for improper conduct along with another church leader was made public. Liam Goligher, who had been pastor of Tenth since 2011, resigned on Dec. 1, according to a statement from the church. His resignation was …

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Pro-Putin Polish MP Destroys Hanukkah Display [Video]

The Associated Press reports: A far-right lawmaker in the Polish parliament used a fire extinguisher on Tuesday and put out candles on a menorah that was lit for the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. All major political forces quickly denounced the incident carried out by Grzegorz Braun, and said there would be no tolerance for antisemitic and xenophobic behavior in the Polish …

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MT Baptist Pastor Convicted On Child Sex Charges

From the Justice Department: A federal jury today convicted a Lame Deer pastor of sexually abusing three children while they were staying at his home, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. After a six-day trial that began on Dec. 4, the jury found Dean Alan Smith, 67, guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact …

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CA Diocese To Seek Bankruptcy Over Abuse Lawsuits

CBS News reports: The Diocese of Sacramento will seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after more than 250 lawsuits claiming sexual abuse by clergy and other staff, Bishop Jaime Soto said on Saturday. “There are many victim-survivors awaiting compensation for the reprehensible sins committed against them,” Soto said in a statement to his parishioners. “It is the sickening sin of sexual …

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Missouri Pastor Arrested On Child Molestation Charges

Kansas City’s ABC affiliate reports: An Independence pastor is facing child molestation charges. Court documents state that multiple people under the age of 18 accused Virgil Marsh of sexually assaulting them between 2011 and 2018. Marsh, 71, is now in the Jackson County jail. He was charged with two counts of first-degree of child molestation and first-degree statutory sodomy. A …

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Pennsylvania Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Pittsburgh’s ABC affiliate reports: A Butler County pastor is in jail Wednesday evening after engaging in what state police are calling inappropriate sexual contact with two minors. Herman Clarence Rushing, Jr., 67, of Portersville Borough, is facing charges of corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and indecent assault. Rushing is in the Butler County Prison as of Wednesday …

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Indiana Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Fort Wayne’s ABC affiliate reports: A 25-year-old man is facing charges after court documents say he had inappropriate contact with a minor while he was serving as a pastor at a Markle church. Court records show Zachary Luke Petree was charged with child seduction while having a professional relationship with the child, dissemination of matter harmful to minors, and sexual …

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Catholic Priest Gets Five Years On Child Sex Charges

The CBC reports: A Roman Catholic priest on P.E.I. has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a teenage boy in the 1990s. Maurice Joseph Praught, 70, entered the plea in a Charlottetown courtroom Tuesday morning. He was arrested in 2022 following a joint investigation by Summerside police and the …

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Milwaukee Archdiocese Suspends Priest After Catholic Site Says He’s In A Long-Term Relationship With A Man

Milwaukee’s Fox affiliate reports: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee put a high-ranking priest on administrative leave, as it launched a formal investigation that centers on an allegation of a consensual relationship. Fr. Mark Payne serves in the senior Archdiocese of Milwaukee position of judicial vicar. He has also been pastor of two North Shore parishes since 2022: St. Eugene in Fox …

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NH Pastor Dies By Suicide Amid Child Sex Investigation

Patch New Hampshire reports: Police in Nashua have confirmed statements made by a local church that one of its pastors was under investigation for child sexual abuse allegations before taking his own life. Jarrett Booker, 37, the pastor of students and worship at Nashua Baptist Church, took his own life on Nov. 27, according to the church. In a note …

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SC Pastor Sentenced To 40 Years On Child Sex Charges

South Carolina’s The State reports: A former Midlands pastor has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct involving children, according to court records and the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. William “Bill” Oswald, 61, of Prosperity, was sentenced to two consecutive 20-year prison terms by state Judge Eugene “Bubba” Griffith after a weeklong trial in Richland County …

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California Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

San Francisco’s NBC affiliate reports: An East Bay pastor is under arrest accused of sex crimes with an underage member of his church and police believe there may be more victims. Pastor Victor Hernandez Pineda is known for his passionate sermons by those who attend Iglesia Pentecostal Movimiento de Gloria, a Spanish-language Christian church in Richmond. “We’ve always loved our …

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DeSantis Staff Ordered His Bible On Amazon Because He Didn’t Own One For His 2019 Florida Swearing-In

NBC News reports: On Jan. 8, 2019, DeSantis stood onstage at Florida’s historic Capitol next to his wife, Casey, who had in her hand a King James Bible. He was set to officially become Florida’s 46th governor. Many elected officials choose to be sworn into office on a religious text with some sort of personal meaning. But for DeSantis, this …

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Florida Pastor Gets Five Years On Child Sex Charges

Flagler Live reports: Alphonso Joseph, the 50-year-old Palm Coast resident and former pastor at several Bunnell churches, was sentenced this afternoon to five years in prison followed by 10 years on sex-offender probation after pleading guilty to having sex with an underage boy. Joseph will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life, and will have …

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Bankrupt Long Island Diocese Makes “Best And Final” Offer Of $200M To Settle Hundreds Of Abuse Lawsuits

Patch reports: The Diocese of Rockville Centre has made its “best and final proposal” for victims of sexual abuse. As Patch reported in Oct. 2022, hundreds of sexual abuse claims were frozen in the wake of the diocese’s declared bankruptcy. The offer announced on Tuesday totals $200 million in compensation, Diocese spokesperson Sean Dolan said. The proposal from the Diocese …

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Michigan Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

The Midland Daily News reports: Living Word International Church minister James Randolph was arrested and charged Tuesday with first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving relationship, four counts of second-degree CSC and one count of accosting children for immoral purposes for crimes allegedly occurring in 2011. Randolph is charged with seven felony counts and is out of jail on a $500,000 cash …

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Pope Francis Strips Anti-LGBTQ American Cardinal Of His Vatican Apartment And Salary For Public “Disunity”

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis has decided to punish one of his highest-ranking critics, Cardinal Raymond Burke, by revoking his right to a subsidized Vatican apartment and salary in the second such radical action against a conservative American prelate this month. Francis told a meeting of the heads of Vatican offices last week that he was moving against Burke …

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Bill Would Sever Church Of England From UK Govt

The Christian Post reports: A bill aimed at officially severing the Church of England from the British government is set to be introduced in Parliament next month. The “Disestablishment of the Church of England” bill, scheduled to be introduced by Liberal Democrat lawmaker Paul Scriven on Dec. 6, was selected earlier in November from a bill ballot from private members …

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