Rev. Michael Woolf, pastor of Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, says his November arrest at an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, clarified his commitment to Sanctuary ethics. The viral photo of his detention was praised by The Atlantic as a significant news image of 2025. Woolf, who holds a doctorate on the 1980s Sanctuary Movement, views the protest as an extension of faith-led efforts to protect migrants. Experts note the image challenged the Trump administration’s framing of nativism as Christian virtue. Woolf continues to lead trainings for clergy resisting deportation policies, emphasizing that privileged individuals must risk their safety to support vulnerable neighbors.
Pope Leo XIV visited Monaco on March 28, highlighting a perceived increase in Catholic interest among young people. Speaking at the Chapel of St. Dévote, the pontiff noted a growing number of catechumens preparing for baptism. Archbishop Dominique-Marie David reported that Monaco is welcoming 70 new candidates this year, significantly more than in previous years. The article also notes similar trends in France, Belgium, Austria, and the United States, where recent data suggests a rise in conversions. However, some scholars remain skeptical about the extent of this revival, citing potential data errors in other regions.
The New York City Council approved a modified bill on March 26 to establish security perimeters around houses of worship. The legislation passed 44-5 after being scaled back from Council Speaker Julie Menin’s original proposal for 100-foot zones. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and free speech advocates opposed the stricter limits. The measure follows a November protest at Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue led by the Palestinian rights group PAL-Awda. The bill directs the NYPD to submit a safety plan within 45 days. Mayor Zohran Mamdani cannot veto the measure due to the supermajority vote, though his signature remains uncertain. Jewish organizations supported the compromise as a step toward protecting religious sites.
Matthew LaBanca’s film, Communion, premiered at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in New York City on March 26. LaBanca was fired from a Queens Catholic school and a local parish in 2021 after marrying his husband, citing a morality clause violation. The documentary recounts his loss of employment and community support. Directed by Bill McGarvey, the project highlights the emotional toll of such dismissals. New Ways Ministry reports at least 80 similar employment disputes since 2007. LaBanca hopes the screening fosters dialogue between LGBTQ+ individuals and the Catholic Church, reflecting a desire for greater inclusion within religious institutions.
Israeli forces have closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, blocking access for Muslim and Christian worshippers during Eid al-Fitr and Holy Week. According to the commentary by Zainab Chaudry of the Council on American Islamic Relations, these closures represent a severe escalation that disrupts major religious observances. The author argues that the restrictions are not for security but for control, aiming to suppress Palestinian identity and religious freedom. Despite the barriers, some Muslims continue to pray in the streets, risking arrest. The outlet calls for global action to restore access to these sacred sites.
Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa announced on March 23 that the annual Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem has been canceled because of the ongoing war with Iran. Israeli security restrictions limit public gatherings and prohibit communal prayers at holy sites in the Old City to prevent mass casualties from potential missile strikes. Consequently, the patriarchate will organize a virtual rosary on March 28 instead. The cancellation highlights the severe impact of the conflict on religious observances in the Holy Land, where safety concerns have disrupted traditional Easter celebrations.
A Public Religion Research Institute survey released on March 26 reveals that support for President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda has dropped among nearly all religious groups in the United States. While white evangelicals and white Catholics remain the only groups with majority approval, their support has also declined significantly since March 2025. The sharpest decrease occurred among white nonevangelical Protestants, whose approval fell nearly twenty points. This shift follows increased opposition from mainline Protestant leaders, including lawsuits and protests against deportation efforts. Support also eroded among Jewish Americans, Hispanic and Black Protestants, and the religiously unaffiliated.
Five African Anglican women bishops will attend the installation of Sarah Mullally as the first female archbishop of Canterbury in England on March 25. This event marks a historic moment for the Church of England. The attendees include bishops from Kenya, Angola, Lesotho, and Eswatini. Their participation defies GAFCON, a conservative alliance that urged disengagement from Canterbury due to disagreements over women's ordination and sexual morality. The bishops stated they are attending to support unity and dialogue within the global communion, rather than to take political sides. One bishop from South Sudan could not attend due to local commitments.
After CNN aired a documentary on Christian nationalism in Moscow, Idaho, local residents expressed sadness rather than anger. Activist Joann Muneta and Reverend Hannah Brown criticized the movement's patriarchal views and opposition to public education. The report highlighted testimonies from former members regarding religious trauma and rigid gender roles. Despite Doug Wilson's growing influence, Moscow voters consistently reject his affiliated candidates. Community groups continue to promote pluralism and mutual aid as a counter to the ideology. The documentary aims to raise awareness about the movement's impact on democracy and women's rights.
Sarah Mullally was installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England. A former chief nurse for the UK’s National Health Service, she also marks the first time an archbishop has led a major public agency. Her path to the role was supported by the mentoring network Leading Women, which helped women clergy navigate institutional barriers. While her appointment has generated significant public interest in Britain, several global Anglican primates are boycotting the ceremony to protest female leadership. Mullally now faces the challenge of uniting a divided communion while managing internal conflicts over social issues and church structure.
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A federal judge in the United States has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to allow faith leaders into the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building near Minneapolis. The ruling supports a lawsuit filed by several religious groups who were previously denied entry while trying to provide pastoral care to immigrant detainees. Judge Jerry Blackwell issued a preliminary injunction, citing irreparable harm to both clergy and detainees. The government must now negotiate protocols with the plaintiffs. This decision contrasts with similar cases in Illinois and follows protests over immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities area. Religious leaders view the ruling as a victory for First Amendment rights.
Interfaith leaders met with House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill to protest anti-Muslim statements. The delegation, including representatives from the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the Interfaith Alliance, opposed claims that Muslims seek to impose Shariah law in the United States. This confrontation occurs as the GOP’s Shariah Free America Caucus gains influence ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Muslim advocates describe the rhetoric as a political gambit to secure votes, while scholars clarify that Shariah primarily guides personal religious practice rather than American civil law. The group presented a written prayer affirming the integral role of Muslims in U.S. society.
Religious groups in the United States have adapted the sanctuary movement to counter recent ICE raids. Originating in the 1980s to shelter Central American refugees, the initiative now focuses on aiding immigrants who fear leaving their homes. Leaders like Lloyd Barba and Dwayne Royster note that while physical shelter in churches has decreased, communities provide food, legal rights education, and rapid response networks. This shift aims to protect long-term residents and support families against deportation, reflecting a continued commitment to moral obligations over federal immigration enforcement policies.
Hundreds of progressive faith leaders across the United States have engaged in high-risk activism against the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. Clergy in cities like Chicago, Charlotte, and Minneapolis use decentralized tactics, including encrypted messaging and nonviolent direct action, to resist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The movement draws inspiration from past social justice campaigns, including the Civil Rights era and LGBTQ+ rights protests. While this local focus avoids a single spokesperson, it has led to over 108 arrests of anonymous religious figures. According to organizers, this represents a significant spiritual awakening, though it creates tension with congregants who may hold different political views.
The Texas comptroller has admitted several Islamic private schools into the state’s voucher program following federal lawsuits alleging religious discrimination. U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett extended the application deadline to March 31 and ordered the state to review the schools' requests. The legal challenge was initiated by Muslim parents and school providers who argued that excluding institutions linked to the accreditation group Cognia violated their rights. The state had previously blocked these schools based on Attorney General Ken Paxton’s opinion regarding associations with groups designated as foreign adversaries. The comptroller’s office confirmed the acceptance of the suing institutions after the court intervened. (Source: Religion News Service)
The Vatican announced a new campaign urging divestment from mining activities, citing harm to poor communities. Cardinal Fabio Baggio stated the initiative aims to address environmental damage and poverty in the Global South. The platform works with the Church and Mining Network across Latin America and the Caribbean. Speakers highlighted that mining profits often benefit wealthy nations while local Indigenous groups suffer contamination and displacement. Bishop Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini and others shared examples from Guatemala and Brazil. The move aligns with Pope Francis’ ecological teachings and previous efforts to align investments with Catholic principles.
Texas families are suing the state after discovering that no Islamic schools were included in the newly launched Education Freedom Account voucher program. The exclusion affects approximately one hundred Muslim schools across the state, including the Houston Qur’an Academy. State officials, including Governor Greg Abbott and Comptroller Kelly Hancock, have cited concerns about funding institutions linked to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which Abbott designated as a foreign terrorist organization. This designation contradicts federal status. Parents argue the ban violates constitutional protections against religious discrimination, while the state maintains it will not fund ties to terrorism. The controversy highlights tensions within the program's implementation.
Bethlehem, Palestine, is experiencing a severe economic downturn as tourism collapses due to regional conflicts. Elias Hazin, a local tour operator, reports that bookings have vanished following the October 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent war in Gaza. Former mayor Anton Salman states that over half of the city’s 30,000 Christians work in tourism, which previously drove 70% of the local economy. The Iran war and flight cancellations have further deterred visitors, leading to widespread closures and unemployment. Consequently, many residents, including Yousef Barakat of the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, are considering emigration to secure their futures, threatening the survival of the historic Christian community.
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