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[Episcopal News Service] Massachusetts Bishop Julia Whitworth issued a statement April 1 decrying the Trump administration’s abrupt detention of a Boston-area graduate student from Turkey who is in the United States legally on a student visa. “Our Christian faith calls us to renounce the promotion of xenophobia and fear to foment dehumanization of any of God’s children, especially immigrants and our newest neighbors,” Whitworth said in highlighting the case of Rumeysa Ozturk, who is pursuing a doctorate at Tufts University. Ozturk, 30, was taken into custody on a sidewalk in the Boston suburb of Sommerville on March 25 by plain-clothes agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who could be seen in an eyewitness and surveillance videos with their faces covered as they handcuffed her. Federal officials then transferred her to a detention facility in Louisiana. The case has drawn parallels to earlier Trump administration arrests and attempted deportations of other foreign-born college students, including Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder. Like Khalil, Ozturk appears to have been targeted for her political activism, specifically an opinion essay she co-authored a year ago that was critical of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The Department of Homeland Security said she had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.” Whitworth, in her statement opposing Ozturk’s arrest, noted that the student was taken off the street while on her way to an iftar, the end-of-day meal by which Muslims break their daily fast during Ramadan. “I reject the actions of the executive branch of our federal government in its targeting of international students for their exercise of free speech and dissent, cornerstones of our U.S. Constitution and American values,” Whitworth said. “Throughout the congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, we are committed to radical welcome, care and support of our most vulnerable neighbors and to collaboration with our ecumenical, interfaith, and secular partners for immigration justice.” Since taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump, saying he is combating antisemitism, has threatened to deport foreign-born campus protesters who opposed Israel’s war on Hamas, which Israel launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israeli communities. After Khalil, the Columbia University graduate, was detained in early March, New York Bishop Matthew Heyd issued a statement condemning the government’s actions. “In accordance with our faith and civic creed, we uphold the belief that difference and dissent should be safe,” Heyd said at the time. “We reject deportation based on political viewpoint – whether we agree or disagree.” Like Ozturk, Khalil was taken to a detention facility in Louisiana, presumably because federal authorities expect judges there will be receptive to their case against him. Khalil’s attorneys are trying to get him transferred back to New Jersey, where he lives, while they fight his deportation. – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

The United Church of Canada urges people of faith to vote for the common good, and for supporting the most vulnerable.

[Episcopal News Service] Some of the Episcopal delegates who represented Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe at the 69th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, or CSW69, in New York City gathered via Zoom March 31 to report back on their experiences. Episcopal leaders who participated independently also shared their reflections. CSW69/Beijing+30 focused mostly on reviewing the implementation and outcomes of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 30 years after the U.N. adopted the resolution during the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace held in China’s capital. The Beijing Declaration promotes gender equality and women’s rights through a set of principles addressing 12 critical areas of concern, including education, economic empowerment, political participation and ending gender-based violence. “I think for many of us who work in the field of gender justice, this year was a particularly very heavy year for CSW,” Nicole Hosein, director of Episcopal Relief & Development’s gender initiatives, said during the webinar “Beyond Beijing+30: Realizing the Dream.” “A recent U.N. Women report noted there’s pushback against gender justice in one in four countries globally, and that’s really alarming,” said Hosein, who participated during the first half of the March 10-21 meeting virtually. Hosein was one of the six Episcopal delegates to CSW69 alongside the Rev. Margaret Rose, the presiding bishop’s ecumenical and interreligious deputy and former director of The Episcopal Church’s women’s ministries; Rebecca Blachly, the church’s chief of public policy and witness; Lynnaia Main, the church’s representative to the United Nations; Julia Ayala Harris, president of the House of Deputies; and Troy Collazo, policy adviser with the church’s Washington, D.C.-based Office of Government Relations. The delegates joined representatives of U.N. member states, U.N. entities and accredited nongovernmental organizations who gather annually to learn from one another and strategize ways to increase and improve women’s equality and empowerment worldwide. CSW69 also addressed ongoing challenges women and girls face, including gender-based violence, wage gaps, economic barriers and a lack of access to education and health care. Women and girls of color and LGBTQ+ women are disproportionately affected by these challenges. For example, nearly 130 million girls, most living in poorer countries, aren’t enrolled in school. Also, women worldwide are paid about 80% of what men are paid for the same work, and that wage gap is higher for women of color. Collazo, whose duties include advocating for The Episcopal Church’s positions on immigration and refugee policy, participated in person during the first week of CSW69. He was unable to join the webinar, but Main, who facilitated the webinar, read aloud his written reflection: “In all honesty, the conference felt somewhat hackneyed. I didn’t encounter any novel solutions to the problems women face that haven’t been discussed since the 1960s,” Collazo said in his written statement. “The challenges faced by refugee women, in particular, stood out as an area requiring more innovative approaches and leadership. I appreciate the opportunity to have been part of this important global forum and look forward to discussing how we can contribute to more progressive and effective solutions in the future.” Before he retired last fall, former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry wrote and submitted The Episcopal Church’s goals for CSW69 in a statement: Prioritize resources and programs for marginalized women and girls, including LGBTQ+ women, women of color, women with disabilities, migrant women, elderly women and others. Increase access to resources, public services, social protections and infrastructure. Increase access to economic and political power and decision-making. Eliminate all forms of gender-based violence. Address climate change and environmental issues, which disproportionately harm women and girls. “While celebrating progress for and by women and girls in all their diversity in the 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, we lament persistent injustices and call for changes,” the statement says. Additionally, delegates participated in ecumenical and interfaith events during CSW69, including an opening and closing Eucharist at the Chapel of Christ the Lord at The Episcopal Church Center in Manhattan. Rose told webinar participants she appreciated the opportunities to connect with women leaders of different faith backgrounds. “As we begin to think about what’s next, I hope that we’ll be able to do mission meetings in between and move ahead in ways that will continue to make a difference – certainly in the U.S. – but around the world where there continues to be so much need,” Rose said. During the webinar, Main noted that the United States, under President Donald Trump’s administration, wanted to eliminate the term “gender” from the conference, which contributes to the growing “pushback” against gender justice. Additionally, she mentioned that new challenges have manifested since the Beijing Declaration was adopted in 1995, including the gender digital divide and artificial intelligence, as well as the evolving definitions of gender and sex and the resulting “culture wars.” “We have seen, as well, the persistence and universality of gender-based violence. One in three women will experience that in their lifetimes. The ongoing pushback against health care and sexual and reproductive health rights – as well as the oppression of LGBTQ persons around the world – much still needs to be done. And of course, this work does not end,” Main said. The intentional killing of women and girls, or femicide, is also a global crisis. In 2022, nearly 89,000 known women and girls were murdered, the highest number recorded in 20 years. Femicide targeting transgender women and women of color has particularly been increasing every year. Lisa Bortner is president of the National Episcopal Church Women, or ECW, a churchwide organization that seeks to empower Episcopal women and foster programs that minister to women and children. She was one of several Episcopal leaders who independently participated in CSW69. During the webinar, Bortner mentioned that one of the ECW’s priorities is to advocate for increased focus on the high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women. With that in mind, she said she was disappointed that, to […]

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA (ABNS 4/1/25)—International Ministries has sent an initial grant of $10,000 in One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) emergency relief to partners who are providing humanitarian relief to the victims of the earthquake that caused widespread devastation in central Myanmar on Friday, March 28, 2025. The first earthquake, with a magnitude of […]

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Order of Bishops to nominate 3-5 bishops for the office of Primate.

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Retired Bishop Benjamin A. Justo, who led the Baguio Area in the Philippines until 2008, died March 28 at age 84.

On March 30, former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby did an interview with the BBC in which he said he failed to follow up allegations of abuse by John Smyth within the Church of England because the scale of the problem was “absolutely overwhelming.” He added the scale of the problem was “a reason – not an excuse” for his failure to act. Welby was forced to resign over the matter. What follows is the statement by the Rt. Rev. Joanne Grenfell, the Church of England’s lead bishop on safeguarding matters. [Church of England] Today’s interview with the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, will be a reminder to Smyth survivors of their awful abuse and its lifelong effects. I know they continue to be offered support, and we are deeply sorry for the abuse they suffered. First and foremost this must always be about victims and survivors, their needs and what they are asking us to hear and learn. I stand by my comments, made with the national safeguarding director Alexander Kubeyinje, on the publication of the Makin Review into the church’s handling of allegations against Smyth. We are appalled that any clergy person could believe that covering up abuse was justified in the name of the gospel – a comment highlighted in the Review. The gospel is about proclaiming good news to the poor and healing the brokenhearted. If anyone comes forward to the church today with a concern, they will be heard and responded to carefully and compassionately by safeguarding professionals according to our clearly set out guidance. General Synod voted in February to further strengthen its guidance on responding to allegations, which will make the reporting process clearer for all who come forward. In the past 10 years, the church has developed and strengthened its safeguarding policies and practices, making significant improvements in training, national safeguarding standards and external audits, and continues to do so. General Synod also voted in February to set up an external scrutiny body and to look further at models on operational independence. Every member of the church is responsible for a culture in which victims are heard, responded to well and put first: there is never a place for covering up abuse. We must learn from this and build future foundations to ensure that the church is as safe as it can be for all who come to worship or to engage with our many services and community projects.

The Pension Boards, an affiliated ministry of the United Church of Christ recently announced its appointment of David A. Klassen as its next President and Chief Executive Officer. He takes over from Walter Reyes, who served as interim President after…

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KING OF PRUSSIA, PA (ABNS 4/1/25)—American Baptist Churches USA announces Engage 2025: an opportunity for pastors, church leaders, seminarians, chaplains, and specialized ministers new to American Baptist Churches USA to come together at the 2025 Biennial Mission Summit, July 3-6, 2025 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The purpose of the event is […]

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[Church of Ireland] A Church of Ireland rector in the Diocese of Clogher is undertaking a pilgrimage of a different kind by walking from his church in Fermanagh to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The Rev. Stephen McWhirter, rector of Rossorry Parish Church, will be walking from the landmark church on the outskirts of Enniskillen in Northern Ireland to St. Patrick’s, a distance of around 100 miles, during two weeks in Lent. This isn’t just any walk  — he will be barefoot. He left after the morning service in Rossorry on March 30 and will finish in Dublin on Palm Sunday, April 13, with distances varying from just a few miles to 11 miles. McWhirter said, “I had initially thought, walking by myself, I’d just head off. However, I need a lot of paperwork and registration with both the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Gardai [the state police of the Irish Republic] to happen. Also support vehicles travelling ahead for me to warn oncoming traffic. “I needed to attend to a fairly rigorous risk assessment as I’ll be walking barefoot. As you know I’ve experienced this from last Lent, however a walk to Dublin does seem a step up. “Following the biblical principles of taking nothing with me, I’m doing exactly that so will be heavily reliant on the generosity of strangers to feed and water me. I’m contacting colleagues both in Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic churches who are allowing me to sleep in churches on the way to Dublin.” Also along the route, McWhirter will be calling at a number of national schools, speaking to pupils about the history and role of pilgrimages. The route is filled with places of historic interest. The original church of Rossorry is named after St. Fanchea, who helped to build a monastery on the banks of Lough Erne. McWhirter also will be crossing through places such as Trim, where a monastery was traditionally thought to be founded by St. Patrick. Maynooth, also on his walking route, is a well–known university town served by two churches named St. Mary’s — St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, which is incorporated into the walls of St. Patrick’s College, Ireland’s national seminary for the training of priests, and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. St. Michan’s Church, Dublin, dating from 1686, was the site of the first Christian chapel dating from 1095 and operated as a Catholic church until the Reformation. It has served Church of Ireland parishioners in Dublin for more than 300 years. McWhirter’s final walk day will begin at St. James’ Gate, the traditional beginning of the medieval pilgrimage route, with his destination of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which for over 800 years has been a site of religious significance. He also will be raising funds along the way for a community hub at Rossorry and extension to the car park, as well as the Aisling Centre in Enniskillen. While McWhirter  will be accompanied on parts of the journey by a support team, he will be relying on his sturdy staff for support as he walks. It has personal significance for him as it belonged to his father, Roy, who used it at Bangor Heritage Centre where he played the role of St. Patrick for visitors.