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Vatican makes new plans for Ash Wednesday as worst is apparently over in pope’s pneumonia battle

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis reached the two-week mark in his recovery from pneumonia Friday as doctors suggested he had overcome the most critical phase of the infection but held out on declaring him out of danger entirely. The Vatican, though, made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the church’s solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April. The Vatican’s early Friday ...

What is Ramadan and how do Muslims observe the Islamic holy month?

CAIRO (AP) — Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time of increased worship, religious reflection, charity and good deeds. Socially, it often brings families ...

What are you waiting for?

Preacher Mark Brouwer tells about hearing a motivational speaker begin his presentation with some audience participation: “Raise your hand if you would like to make a real difference with your life. How many of you would like to have such a significant life that, when you’re gone, you’ll leave this world a better place?” Nearly everyone in the audience raised their hands. “Now, raise your hand if you have a plan for how you’re going to do that.” There was nervous laughter, but in a room filled with hundreds of people, only two hands went up. The Apostle Paul knew what he ...

Syria’s Christians mark a decade since a horrific IS attack and worry about their future

TEL TAL, Syria (AP) — It was a mournful moment for Christians in Syria. A bell that once summoned residents to worship rang out, but the church was no longer there. The Saint Odisho church was blown up by the Islamic State group a decade ago, leaving Tel Tal village almost empty of residents. A local Christian who fled the attack, Ishaq Nissan, walked the streets and pointed to uninhabited homes, explaining where families had gone: U.S., Australia, Canada or Europe. This month, northeast Syria’s remaining Christians will mark the 10th anniversary of the IS attack on over 30 ...

The gift of work

Author Richard Foster tells how, as a teenager, he signed up for an internship in Alaska, thinking he would have the adventure of “working on the first high school above the Arctic Circle.” The adventure turned into hard work, however, and Foster found himself digging a sewer line through the frozen tundra. An Aleut native who stopped by for a few minutes commented to Foster, “You are digging a ditch to the glory of God.” Those words changed Foster’s perspective; every chunk of earth became progress “to the glory of God.” Caught up in mundane tasks, humanity sometimes ...

A fire at Buddhist temple in New York killed 2 people, including a monk

A fire at a Buddhist temple in New York City has left two people dead, including a Buddhist monk. New York City fire officials say the fire broke out around 6 a.m. Wednesday in the Bronx. “We had fire throughout two buildings, and unfortunately, we did have two fatalities,” FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said. FDNY and police officials have not released the names of the victims as of Thursday morning. An NYPD spokesperson said families were still being notified. The fire damaged the small temple, located inside a white, two-story townhouse, and a residence for monks ...