Roundup: Melbourne Cup, the Vatican and the GFC, changes at US seminaries, Catholics, Protestants and the economy, foster parents, Occupy London

Occupy London could be protected by Christian ring of prayer

Coalition of Christian groups plan to prevent forcible attempts to remove tents outside St Paul’s Cathedral.

Couples: In the Light of Love — Kim and Perry, Tracey and Lorraine

Seven billion people in the world, and many of them are children whose chances for a normal life are cut short, due to unmet needs. But some couples forsake a comfortable life to help them by becoming foster parents.

Catholics more inclined to share wealth than Protestants, Euro central bank says

Catholics are more likely to support government intervention in the economy than Protestants and also have a stronger preference for sharing wealth equally, a European Central Bank study said.

Protestant v Catholic: which countries are more successful?

Could religion be playing a part in the relative success of Europe’s economies?

US seminaries consider radical changes

“A lot of schools are rethinking how they educate religious leaders. There is a perception that ministry education is not just the accumulation of courses in the old disciplinary patterns. It has to be something more dynamic.”

The Vatican and the global financial crisis

As protesters demonstrate against corporate greed and politicians struggle with the eurozone crisis, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has published proposals for reforming international finance. It is a document that puts morality back into the heart of economics, says one expert.