TURIN, Italy (RNS) As hoteliers and souvenir vendors from Lourdes to Mexico City can readily attest, a sacred pilgrimage can quickly morph from a spiritual event into a commercial bonanza. And although religious tourism has recently become a booming global industry, it’s still rare for religious leaders themselves to sanction a pilgrimage for explicitly economic…

DENVER – The Army is considering whether to rescind an invitation to evangelist Franklin Graham to appear at the Pentagon amid complaints about his description of Islam as evil, a military spokesman said Wednesday. Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, was to appear at the Pentagon on May 6 on what is the…

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI promised Wednesday that the Catholic Church would take action to confront the clerical sex abuse scandal, making his first public comments on the crisis days after meeting with victims. During his weekly public audience in St. Peter’s Square, Benedict recounted his tearful weekend meeting in Malta with eight men…

WASHINGTON (RNS) Religious leaders are outraged over a bill passed by Arizona legislators that criminalizes illegal immigration, calling the bill “anti-immigrant” and a “social sin.” Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony compared aspects of the legislation, approved Monday (April 19) by the Arizona Senate, to “reverting to German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques whereby people are…

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