Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On December 14, 2002 The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "a San Francisco priest who said he once scolded his aunt for praying for him to become a bishop was named Friday as the first bishop of Asian ancestry in the United States.... Monsignor Ignatius Wang, 68, a former pastor in North Beach who was born in Beijing, was elevated to the post of auxiliary bishop and will serve under Archbishop William Levada... Maurice Healy, a spokesman for the diocese, said 25 percent of the diocese's 450,000 members are of...

Source: Fox News Channel

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,72791,00.html

On December 12, 2002 the Fox News Channel reported that "members of Syracuse University's Pagan Society lighted candles in the campus chapel, while curious students signed up for a new class on witchcraft. And at the University of Arizona and Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, believers can be excused from class on Wiccan holidays... 'There is a cultural shift with college students identifying...

Source: Christian Legal Society

http://www.clsnet.org/clrfPages/advocacy/faithBased_pr.php3

On December 12, 2002 the Christian Legal Society issued a Media Release stating "the Christian Legal Society, a nationwide association of Christian lawyers, applauds the guidance President Bush issued today regarding the involvement of faith-based and community organizations in government-funded social service programs. 'America's poor and needy will benefit from the...

Source: The Boston Globe

On December 12, 2002 The Boston Globe reported that "with Hanukkah over by almost a week and Christmas still nearly two weeks away, interfaith families have the rare luxury of putting away the menorah before putting up the tree. That's a big deal. Three weeks' breathing room between the holidays can do a lot to minimize confusion in the minds of young children... For parents, the bonus is not only that you can disentangle the two holidays and deal with each one individually, but also that you have time to reflect on what you...

Source: American Civil Liberties Union

http://www.aclu.org/ReligiousLiberty/ReligiousLiberty.cfm?ID=11458&c=37

On December 12, 2002 the American Civil Liberties Union reported that "President Bush's Executive Order directing federal agencies to make tax dollars available to religious organizations is unnecessary and dangerous... [T]he American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today voiced its strong opposition to the President’s plan. Rather...

Source: Catholic League

[catholicleague.org/research/decceleb.htm]

On December 12, 2002 Catholic League reported that "December presents public schools with the opportunity of acknowledging the diverse religious beliefs of their students while avoiding the kind of divisiveness that some activist organizations foster by misinterpreting the constitutional mandate regarding freedom of religion. Teachers, administrators and parents should try to promote greater understanding and tolerance among students of different traditions...

Source: The Washington Post

On December 12, 2002 The Washington Post reported that "yesterday's Supreme Court oral argument over Virginia's law banning cross-burning produced an intense discussion of whether the Constitution permits states to prohibit political symbols that strike fear in the hearts of many citizens... The court's only African American, Thomas broke his customary silence during oral argument to drive home the point that the history of cross burning as a symbol of Ku Klux Klan hatred and violence toward blacks, Jews and Catholics makes...

Source: Wisconsin State Journal

On December 11, 2002 Wisconsin State Journal reported that "Buddhists set up [a] display alongside those of other religious groups at the fifth annual Interfaith Awareness Week program Tuesday at the state Capitol. Other faiths participating in the noon program were Orthodox Christian, Mennonite, Unitarian Universalist, Jewish, Hindu and Muslim. The Interfaith Awareness Week program was organized by the Rev. John-Brian Paprock... a priest at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission in Madison.

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.fac.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=17348

On December 11, 2002 The Associated Press reported that "New York is discriminating against Christian students by allowing Islamic and Jewish holiday symbols to be displayed in public schools while banning Nativity creches, a Catholic organization suing the city charged yesterday. 'All we're asking for the city of New York to do is to treat Catholics the same way they do Jews...

Source: National Council of Churches

http://www.ncccusa.org/news/02news100.html

On December 11, 2002 National Council of Churches reported that "a broad coalition of leaders of religious and civic organizations announced here today the launching of a movement titled 'Keep America Safe: Win Without War.' They will seek to bring the case of alternative action to stop Iraqi militarism without resorting to American militarism.  Coalition members, who include National Council of...

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/11/nyregion/11NATI.html

On December 11, 2002 The New York Times reported that "aided by the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, a Queens family sued the city on Monday in United States District Court in Brooklyn, charging that its policy on holiday displays in schools discriminates against Roman Catholics. The policy permits what it calls secular holiday decorations, including 'Christmas trees,...

Source: The Richmond Times-Dispatch

On December 10, 2002 The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that "seven-year-old Alana Amrose stood entranced, looking at the fruits, animals, faces, symbols and writing of the Hindu calendar - a Nakara Chaturdasi. She glowed with excitement at the Children's Museum of Richmond's 'Our Community, One World in Celebration' exhibit featuring six miniature houses decorated with symbols of holidays observed around the end or beginning of the year. The girl's first stop last week was the Diwali display, focusing on the Hindu...

Source: Sun Journal

http://www.sunjournal.com/story.asp?slg=120602menn

On December 9, 2002 the Sun Journal reported that "it was a night for both Jews and non-Jews to celebrate the Hanukkah holiday. In the basement of Main Street’s Goff Building [in Maine], about 50 people gathered Thursday for a city-run Hanukkah party with food, toys and music. Meanwhile, at the Auburn synagogue, another 50 people gathered to dedicate the new menorah, replacing a 'mega-menorah'...

Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph

On December 9, 2002 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reported that "Christianity isn't the only faith in a nation that is founded on the principles of religious freedom. Religious diversity is a way of life in Four Seasons Country, but during the holidays, Christmas is in the air. 'We celebrate Christmas,' Dr. Bhasker Pujari said. 'We don't have any qualms about it.' Pujari is a Hindu. He said that Hindu philosophy encourages embracing all faiths. 'We have a saying: 'All that exists is but one,'' he said. Doris Sue Kantor and...

Source: The Daily Statesman

http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/884/public/news403974.html

On December 9, 2002 The Daily Statesman reported that "legislation proposed this week by Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, could strengthen Missourians' abilities to practice their faith. The bill was filed in advance of the 2003 legislative session that begins in January. It would require the state to have a compelling interest in regulating...