Our Takes Daily

Is it a no-brainer or a nun-brainer?

The Chicago Tribune

When Sister Kathleen Treanor's soul ascends to heaven, her brain will go to a less ethereal realm: a medical lab in Kentucky. Two decades ago, Sister Treanor and 677 other members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame granted a young researcher's request to test them each year in order to track the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other age-related brain disorders. The 61 surviving nuns recently completed their last round of intellectual and physical tests for the Nun Study, one of the world's most comprehensive neurological research projects. More info>

Thriving in Chinatown

The New York Times

Even as many Catholic churches and schools in other parts of New York City have been shuttered in recent years because of dwindling membership, Transfiguration Church in Chinatown has continued to evolve and flourish. The church baptizes more than three dozen adults, almost all Chinese, each Easter. It celebrates Masses in three languages, drawing 800 to 900 people each Sunday. Its school?s kindergarten class has a waiting list 150 names long. More info>

Bless the baby, with or without water

MSNBC.com

As the trend of people saying they are spiritual but not religious grows, more couples are opting for ?baby blessings? rather than the traditional church baptisms or christenings. Their rise in popularity may be driven in part by some members of the post-baby boomer generation who have bypassed religious institutions and are experimenting in ways that make sense to them spiritually, said Richard Flory, a research associate at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. More info>