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Religion

Issue of married Catholic priests gains traction under pope

VATICAN CITY (AP) — As the Vatican copes with the growing clergy sex abuse scandal and declining number of priests worldwide, it is laying the groundwork to open formal debate on an issue that has long been taboo: opening up the priesthood to married men in parts of the world where clergy are scarce. Pope Francis has convened a meeting of South American bishops next year focusing on the plight of the church in the Amazon, a vast territory served by far too few priests. During that synod, the question of ordaining married men of proven virtue — so-called "viri probati" — is ...

Grass or weeds?

Five years ago, I was talking to a friend about our lawn. He is in the lawn care business and he offered me this timeless advice, “There are two ways to have a nice lawn. One way is to remove all the weeds. The other is to grow your grass so thick there is no room for weeds.” When he said that a bright and jarring light bulb went off in me. If we want to live a high-impact, lasting-legacy life we must intentionally put God’s word, the Bible, into our minds daily so that weeds do not overtake our thinking. We can let those around us determine our worth based on our looks, ...

Annual fair trade fair chance sale

The annual fair trade fair chance local and global sale will be held at Bread of Life Lutheran Church, Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon. Bread of Life is located at 1415 17th Avenue SW in Minot. This sale benefits women’s craft cooperative of SERRV International from around the world along with our local artisans who will be selling their works. Local crafters being featured this year are “Wood Designs” created by Caroline Clouse; “Garden Art & Plate Flowers” crafted by Denise Matson; Prairie Sky Breads baked by Travis Gerjets; “Live Plants grown by Lila Streifel ...

First Baptist Church XYZ to meet Oct. 25

First Baptist Church XYZ, a non-denominational adult ministry for people in the 50-plus age group, will meet at 2 p.m. Oct. 25 at First Baptist, 200 3rd Street SW in Minot. Karen Atwood and Trish Hinkel will present the musical program “Beloved Hymns - The Music and Stories Behind Them.” Refreshments will be served.

Family seeking sanctuary in church plan to go back home

OLD LYME, Conn. (AP) — Seven months after taking sanctuary in a church to avoid deportation, a family from Pakistan is returning to their Connecticut home and resuming operations of their pizza shop as they await a ruling on their residency status. The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, which took in the family, said Tuesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have indicated they are not opposing the couple's stay request pending with a federal appeals court. Malik Naveed bin Rehman, his wife Zahida Altaf and their 5-year-old daughter Roniya, a U.S. citizen, ...

Reflections: Tripping hazards

On August 21, I received a new right knee. The morning after surgery I was expected to sit in a chair to eat breakfast and dress with the help of an occupational therapist. After that I walked down the hall and began to exercise the knee with skin held together by 27 staples so that I could regain full use of it again. I soon recognized the many hazards in my environment that I had not noticed before surgery. Of course, I had been warned about the possibility of falling so I was told to remove all scatter rugs from my home. I removed all but a large one in the living room and since it ...