Investigators in Minneapolis say the shooter who killed two Catholic school students and wounded 18 other people inside a church was obsessed with the idea of killing defenseless children.

The pews of a Minneapolis church were packed with teachers, parents and schoolchildren paired with older ‘buddies’ listening to a prayer on their third day of the new school year.

Details have begun to emerge of how votes swiftly coalesced to make Pope Leo XIV history’s first American pope.

The Vatican has concluded a lengthy investigation into allegations of misconduct by Archbishop John Nienstedt, the former leader of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

For many Christians, this weekend marks the first time in three years they will gather in person to celebrate Easter Sunday, a welcome chance to share one of the faith’s holiest days side-by-side with fellow parishioners.

The Vatican this week is hosting a three-day symposium on the Catholic priesthood amid renewed public attention on clergy sex abuse scandals and fresh research into the abuses of priestly power.

A Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota says Pope Francis asked its bishop to resign after he was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly interfering with past investigations into clergy sexual abuse.

Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)NEW YORK American religious leaders across faiths are grappling with the heavy burden of helping to heal two active traumas: rising civil unrest driven by the police killing of George Floyd and the coronavirus pandemic. "Stay on high moral ground and we will win.Among the religious leaders in Minnesota organizing for spiritual care since Floyds death was Bernard Hebda, the Catholic archbishop of the Twin Cities. Imam Asad Zaman, the Muslim American Society of Minnesotas executive director, outlined multiple law enforcement reform proposals in response to Floyds death. Lewis, senior minister at New York Citys Middle Collegiate Church, urged other faith leaders to respond to Floyds killing by taking their sympathy from words to actions.

TOP OF THE HOUR: Japan set to remove state of emergency from Tokyo, 4 other prefectures. ___TOKYO Japan is set to remove a coronavirus state of emergency from Tokyo and four other remaining prefectures later Monday, ending the measure that has lasted for more than a month and half and allowing businesses to gradually resume. While New South Wales, Australias most populous state, and Queensland, the third-most populous state, agree on reopening schools, they differ on reopening their common border. New South Wales has recorded 50 of Australias 102 COVID-19 deaths and wants all state borders reopened. Coronavirus social distancing rules in the state state that people must be in groups of 10 or fewer.

Andy Beshears temporary ban on mass gatherings from applying to in-person religious services, clearing the way for Sunday church services, with guidelines. They made their plans to hold in-person services three weeks ago. Copeland said Fridays CDC release of religious guidelines made it all the more legit for the timing of their return to in-church services. While many announced they would resume in-person services next Sunday on Pentecost, others joined Stithton today in returning to their places of worship. Many in California had already announced they would violate the state order and hold in-person services next Sunday, on Pentecost.