By Tracy Simmons SpokaneFAVS.com Buddhist teachings are practical, useable and helpful. At least, they can be if adherents strive to strengthen their minds, Ven. Bhante Seelawimala said Saturday morning at the opening service of the 65th annual Northwest Buddhist Convention. He was one of 300 Buddhists who gathered in downtown …

Next week marks the beginning of the Lenten season for Western churches. Traditionally the season is kicked off with pancake suppers on Shrove Tuesday (pancakes are eaten because many people refrain from the food's main ingredients — sugar, flour and eggs — during Lent). Then, on Ash Wednesday, many Christians …

Nobel Laureate Desmond M. Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, will be the keynote speaker at Gonzaga University's senior commencement May 13. Tutu has been a voice for justice, peace, truth and reconciliation throughout his ministry. He retired from public life in 2010 but accepted Gonzaga's invitation after …

Before earning his bachelor’s from Brigham Young University-Idaho, Matt Wise served in Japan as a missionary for the Church of Jesus of Christ Latter-day Saints. He’s originally from Spokane Valley and is currently working on personalentrepreneurialpursuits and preparing for graduate school. He’s involved in numerous church activities and enjoys studying …

By Daniel Burke Religion News Service The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has apologized for a Mormon who baptized the late parents of famed Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal. But despite calls this week from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel and others to rethink the controversial rite, the church is unlikely …

Editor’s Note: This guest column was written by a SpokaneFAVS reader who currently resides in London. Guest column by Lisa Tully Many of us are working super hard on a daily basis with one common dream that just about gets us up in the morning — that holiday coming up …