A New Twist on Salvation

Women in the Philippines have been coming to this small clinic in a Manila slum for years to get affordable birth control, something frowned upon in this largely conservative Catholic country.

Human trafficking is a rampant problem throughout the world, but the signs can often be difficult to spot. A collaboration between Catholic churches and police officers to fight the issue together takes shape.

Obesity is at an all-time high in the United States, and is hard to combat. But urban obesity can be countered with inviting streets to stroll, dramatic staircases to climb, parks to exercise in - it’s called “active design.”

The physical classroom environment can have profound effects on a student’s academic performance, sense of belonging, and self-esteem. What would the Platonic ideal classroom look like, illustrated? It might include more greenery, fewer visual distractions on classroom walls, and some tweaks to light sources.

Partnerships between police officers and clergy are being credited with dramatically reducing the rate of homicide in Boston, particularly among teens. And it is drawing the attention of officials in larger cities across the United States, all of whom are looking at adopting some portion of the Boston model.

The private Catholic schools in East Harlem and the South Bronx experienced the plummeting of enrollment, funds lacking for upgrading facilities and technology, while still charging high tuition. Now these six Catholic schools comprise a charter school network and serve low-income children. The results of the new system have enabled teachers to devote more time to academics, students to become disciplined for character development, and technology has improved.

Neighborhoods in Chicago suffer from gang violence and gun-related deaths. A church leader and a physician trained in infectious diseases created Cure Violence, a program that sends teams of local residents to meet with gang leaders as a means of producing positive behavioral change by re-setting social norms. Their approach has reduced violence between 40% and 70%.

Raton, a town once surrounded by eight coal mines, now has a main street of boarded-up buildings. There is reason for optimism as the town diversifies its local economy, betting on "a mix of small manufacturing businesses, health care and specialty services, and hospitality for travelers" to endure the sudden decline in mining revenue. Its calculated revitalization may hold lessons for other towns.

Across the globe, there are nearly 60 million students studying in Catholic institutions. In the United States, however, those numbers have been falling in recent years, forcing schools to come up with new ways to collaborate.

The best way to lose weight is to join a small group. This article looks at the case study of Saddleback Church in southern California that mixed faith and peer support to help congregates lose weight, including the pastor. Surveys found that 72% of participants lost weight as a result of the program.