Hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend — prayers and picnics alike. Here’s my top five list interesting faith-related news from the past few weeks worth keeping an eye on: Battle over circumcision is shaping up in California (JTA) Bishop Eddie Long settles with accusers of sexual misconduct (Religion & Ethics Newsweekly) Crystal Cathedral…

Mixed news for Christian noggins this week: The skull of St. Vitalis of Assisi, a 14th Century Benedictine monk who led an “immoral and licentious youth” before becoming the saint to pray with to be healed from bladder or venereal disease, is expected to fetch around $1,500. Severed head of patron saint of genital disease on sale…

I’m meeting Mata Amritanandamayi — aka Amma, “the hugging saint” — at the start of her new U.S. tour tomorrow. (It’s nice when national religion news comes to the Seattle area!) Cathy Lynn Grossman at USA Today wrote about her during a 2006 tour stop, explaining that she was born to a traditional Hindu family in…

It’s a strange juxtaposition of long-awaited faith-related news this afternoon, with Oprah’s final network TV show talk show episode, and the much-delayed sentencing of Brian David Mitchell, the homeless man who kidnapped and raped Mormon teenager Elizabeth Smart in 2002. Oprah Winfrey (whose show has helped lift the taboo on reporting sexual abuse, coincidentally), thanked God and…

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