The New York Times reports on a seemingly counterintuitive theater collaboration in Boston where a one-man play about clergy sexual abuse is being staged at the Paulist Center in the heart of the city nbsp ldquo Conversations With My Molester A Journey of Faith rdquo chronicles the abuse of Mi

nbsp The Vatican rsquo s portraitist and official court painter is the Russian born Orthodox believer Natalia Tsarkova who has painted Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI among others She gave a brief video interview to the BBC in which we see her pet owl and is profiled in an article from AFP

Today markes the third anniversary of the 7 0 earthquake which devastated Haiti in 2010 leaving as many as 250 000 dead and destroying much of the capital Port-au-Prince 39 s government and church institutions My report on Haiti 39 s recovery can be found here More reports will be posted next we

Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Narendra Nath Datta, better known as Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863-July 4, 1902). The Swami was one of the original disciples of the Hindu saint and mystic Ramakrishna (1836-1886).

With this issue of America we welcome Professor John W Martens as the new columnist for quot The Word quot Dr Martens is Associate Professor of Theology at the University of St Thomas and director of the Master of Arts program in theology at St Paul Seminary both in St Paul MN He teaches

Fasting brings me to the edge mdash physically psychologically and spiritually There are moments when I hate it despise it and wonder why I ever entered into it But I must admit fasting always transforms me in beautiful and unexpected ways nbsp Today January 11 marks the beginning of the 12