Religion – Page 20 –

(From right) Villanova basketball player Jasmine Bascoe along with Villanova President Peter M. Donohue presents Pope Leo XIV with a basketball in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Oct. 31, 2026, during an audience with some 7,000 university representatives ahead of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a men’s and women’s college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Leo tells Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams that he is neutral, but ‘Prevost has another opinion’

By Andrew Dampf

October 31, 2026 at 8:26 a.m.

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday told the basketball teams from his alma mater, Villanova, and...

Students from St. John Of The Cross School pack up nonperishable food items during the Parish’s annual food drive Oct. 24 in Western Springs. (Hank Beckman/Pioneer Press)

St. John of the Cross food drive draws 450 volunteers, donations from across Western Springs

By Hank Beckman

October 31, 2026 at 5:01 a.m.

St. John of the Cross Parish continued its decades-long tradition at its annual Harvest Saturday...

Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope says ‘most urgent’ challenge facing AI race is need for institutional ethical framework

By Associated Press

October 30, 2026 at 3:08 p.m.

Pope Leo XIV on Friday told a Vatican gathering of artificial intelligence researchers and experts...

Cardinal Blase Cupich helps lead a procession through the streets around Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Melrose Park following an outdoor Ash Wednesday Mass on Feb. 18, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Archdiocese accuses CPS of ending disability support funding in Catholic schools

By Kate Armanini

April 10, 2026 at 7:27 p.m.

The Archdiocese of Chicago accused Chicago Public Schools on Friday of abruptly ending instructional support...

In this image from video provided by Just Like Me in April 2026, the company’s co-founder and investor Jeff Tinsley, bottom right, interacts with an AI-generated Jesus. (Just Like Me via AP)

The faith-based tech boom is here, from ‘BuddhaBot’ to $1.99 chats with AI Jesus

By Krysta Fauria

April 10, 2026 at 1:35 p.m.

As religious AI tools become increasingly common, many people are reckoning with how these technologies...

Pope Leo XIV arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican on March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Philadelphia Flyers fans have faith as run at playoff spot follows family’s jersey gift to Pope Leo XIV

By Dan Gelston

April 10, 2026 at 10:57 a.m.

Philadelphia Flyers fan Mike Culin took a unique approach to support his team by gifting...

Pope Leo XIV blesses faithful as he starts his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 8, 2026. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump are at odds over Iran

By Bill Barrow

April 10, 2026 at 1:19 p.m.

In his second term, President Donald Trump’s most influential American critic doesn’t live in the...

Andrea Burns, left, and Martina Maggiore find the recently-installed mural of Pope Leo XIV in section 140 before a White Sox-Rangers game at Rate Field in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Chicago White Sox expand tribute to loyal fan Pope Leo by giving away pope-themed hats

By Associated Press

April 10, 2026 at 12:09 p.m.

The Chicago White Sox are expanding their tribute to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native...

Chicago Board of Education President Sean Harden listens in during the Chicago Board of Education meeting, April 8, 2026. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

Chicago school board approves resolution against federal tax-credit scholarship program

By Kate Armanini

April 8, 2026 at 7:04 p.m.

The Chicago Board of Education approved a resolution Wednesday calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to...

Steven Evans and his wife, Alicia Evans, of South Chicago Heights, pause for a selfie during a date night they had two weeks after he had lung surgery. (Alicia Evans)

Park Forest pastor sings praises after undergoing Cytalux lung surgery at Palos Hospital

By Melinda Moore

April 8, 2026 at 6:13 p.m.

The leader of a Park Forest church who had a cancerous part of his lung...

Pope Leo XIV meets Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin in Vatican City March 30. (Vatican Media)

Matteson and Lemont mayors describe Pope Leo XIV as humble, personable

By Evy Lewis

April 7, 2026 at 3:42 p.m.

Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin and Lemont Mayor John Egofske describe their meeting with Pope Leo...

The Rev. Paul Joseph Keller, from left, Sister Alicia Gutierrez, the Rev. Juan Vargas and the Rev. David Inczauskis head back to their group after leaving the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Broadview, where they offered Communion and pastoral care for detainees, on Holy Thursday, April 2, 2026. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Clergy members decry use of shackles at Broadview ICE facility seen during Holy Week ministry

By Madeline Buckley

April 7, 2026 at 3:05 p.m.

As local clergy ministered to detainees at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in...

More than 60 volunteers joined a recent cleanup effort at the Riverside Christian School in Hammond, which opens in August. The school once housed Spohn Middle School at 4925 Sohl Ave. (Photo provided by Riverside Christian)

Hammond Riverside Christian school hosting tours, sets August opening

By Carole Carlson

April 7, 2026 at 1:47 p.m.

Hammond Riverside Christian, a new K-5 private school, forged by an alliance between three Lake County Christian...