RELIGIOUSITY

Pope OKs 7 New Saints, Including Hawaii's Marianne

Pope Benedict XVI has approved seven new saints for the Catholic Church, including Hawaii's Mother Marianne and a 17th-century Native American, Caterina Tekakwitha.

Christopher Hitchens, writer and Vanity Fair contributor, dies at 62

Christopher Hitchens, the author, writer and Vanity Fair contributing editor, has died, the magazine announced late Thursday. He was 62....

Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists

A new study finds that atheists are among society’s most distrusted group, comparable even to rapists in certain circumstances....

Lowe's pulls ads from TV show about US Muslims

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A decision by retail giant Lowe's Home Improvement to pull ads from a reality show about American Muslims following protests from an evangelical Christian group has sparked criticism and calls for a boycott against the chain....

Pope: Christmas will be tough this year

ROME (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI says he knows Christmas this year will be difficult, in an acknowledgement of the economic crisis gripping much of the West. But he is urging the faithful to remember there's more to the holiday than gift-buying....

Irreverent atheists crowdsource charitable giving

GENEVA (Reuters) - Atheist bloggers have shown their charitable side by swarming to donate money to Doctors Without Borders, in what turned into the humanitarian agency's biggest online fundraiser....

Pope: Italy, Europe need hope now

ROME (AP) — Italy, Europe and many other places in the world need hope in these difficult times, Pope Benedict XVI said Thursday, greeting holiday shoppers and others at the foot of the Spanish Steps....

Immaculate Conception celebration in Rome

Pope Benedict XVI attends the Immaculate Conception celebration prayer in Piazza di Spagna (Spain's Square) in downtown Rome December 8, 2011....

Catholic extremists target Champs Elysees theatre

One of Paris's top theatres was bracing Thursday for a showdown with Catholic extremists vowing to disrupt the opening of "Golgota Picnic", a virulent on-stage attack on consumerism and religion....

Archbishop warns of risk of more riots by young

(Reuters) - Britain risks a repeat of riots that buffeted its cities earlier this year unless it does more to help young people who feel they have nothing to lose, the head of the Church of England said on Tuesday....