http://www.philly.com/r?19=960&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion Religion coverage from The Inquirer en-us Fri, 25 May 2012 12:58:27 GMT 2012-05-25T12:58:27Z en-us http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=153891625&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120525_Another_tough_day_on_the_stand_for_Msgr__Lynn.html Midway through his cross-examination Thursday, Msgr. William J. Lynn sat deflated on the witness stand. Assistant District Attorney Patrick Blessington had spent a second day battering Lynn over his handling of complaints of clergy sex abuse. Fri, 25 May 2012 12:58:27 GMT 6f3d9b363f22179562bcbe8f24e02ccf 2012-05-25T12:58:27Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=153389085&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120524_Lynn_takes_the_witness_stand__saying_he__did_my_best_.html Msgr. William J. Lynn took the witness stand at his landmark trial Wednesday, asserting he "did my best" to weed out sexually abusive priests and battling with a prosecutor who painted him as a liar more concerned with protecting the church than children. Thu, 24 May 2012 10:27:38 GMT dff437e3fcee4d5b105835b3dafd910f 2012-05-24T10:27:38Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=153222555&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120523_ap_religionnewsinbrief.html All 6 Boston groups lose appeal to Vatican to reopen church buildings at closed parishes Wed, 23 May 2012 19:48:06 GMT 30cd80d38e53217341fe67d3c0f03498 2012-05-23T19:48:06Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=152605585&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120522_Defense_witness__Lynn_had_no_power_over_accused_priests.html One priest said Msgr. William J. Lynn treated victims of clergy sex abuse with compassion. Another testified that Lynn pressed accused priests to enter treatment, and urged his bosses to order hospitalization for any who resisted. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:59:45 GMT f166654ffa53d49b17438bb7f8ef55d6 2012-05-23T13:59:45Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=152776875&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120522_Dozens_protest_Vatican_rsquo_s_criticism_of_nuns_rsquo__group.html They gathered in the shadow of the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia’s main Catholic church, in an amen chorus of support for nuns. “For Sister Marie Timothy, who assured me I didn’t have an attitude problem and that I was a strong woman in the making,” said a school nurse. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:43:03 GMT 688f1718b58d1a3cbe67b3eb191609eb 2012-05-23T13:43:03Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=152843505&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120523_Bishop_says_goodbye_to_Mother_Bethel_AME.html Wednesday will be a homecoming for Bishop Richard Franklin Norris as he steps, surely to applause, to the podium of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. As pastor in the 1980s of this historic congregation — the “mother” church of the five million-member denomination founded here 218 years ago — Norris restored the landmark building and transformed a haphazard collection of memorabilia into an important African American museum and tourist destination. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:42:20 GMT 5a305a594ed1fbd4c3995a4839c8c4ea 2012-05-23T13:42:20Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=152358015&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120521_ap_watchdoggroupgoesafterantiobamapastorinky.html An eastern Kentucky Baptist pastor troubled by President Barack Obama's views on gay marriage violated federal law when he urged his followers to vote the president out of office in November, a Washington watchdog group said. Mon, 21 May 2012 22:08:07 GMT 31ba0aa69657e15c15fe4afb80ecdc24 2012-05-21T22:08:07Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168211&44=152229255&32=3796&7=195657&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fnews%2Freligion%2F20120521_Archdiocese_pushes_for_school_vouchers.html Hundreds of students, as well as parents and teachers, addressed Roman Catholic Masses throughout the Philadelphia Archdiocese over the weekend to urge parishioners to lobby their legislators to support tax-funded school vouchers. “Please help to pass school-voucher legislation?… not just for my family, but for all families who want their kids to experience lifelong success,” said Patrick McCann, 16, a Roman Catholic High School junior, addressing churchgoers at the 10 a.m. Mass at St. Monica Church in South Philadelphia. Mon, 21 May 2012 22:05:56 GMT 1d7eec0b82b22457ac2ff50fa2e6cb4b 2012-05-21T22:05:56Z