♪ coming up, tens of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children await court action on their fate. kim lawton looks at religious efforts to help them through the legal process. and fred de sam lazaro reports that the chinese government, long hostile to religion, may now be encouraging buddhism and other traditional relations as a means towards protecting the environment. plus, rebuilding saint nicholas church at ground zero. the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11. ♪ major funding for "religion

& ethics newsweekly" is provided by the little endowment an indianapolis based private family foundation dedicated to its founders interest in religion, community development and education. additional funding also provided by mutual of america. designing customized, individual and group retirement products. that's why we're your retirement company. welcome, i'm bob abernethy. it's go to have you with us. this week the world health organization, w.h.o., said the ebola death toll has risen to over 4,800 people worldwide. most infections have been in west africa where hospital bed and food are in short supply. in liberia, doctors without borders delivered thousands of medical kits to families forced to care for their infected relatives at home. meanwhile, continued concerns here in the u.s. as a new york city doctor became the city's first person to test positive

for ebola. dr. craig spencer had recently returned from guinea, where he'd been working with doctors without borders. heavy fighting continued in syria as kurdish forces sought to defend the border town of kobani from isis. the u.s. led a series of air strikes against isis, and attempted to drop supplies for the kurdish fighters. u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon warned a purely military resnons syria without a political solution could lead to more extremism. the vatican issued a similar caution urging governments to go beyond military action and increase humanitarian aid to refugees. u.s. cardinal raymond burk confirmed that he'll be removed from his position as chief justice of the vatican supreme court. burk is known for his downspoken

conservative views on a number of issues including same-sex marriage. last week he criticized a meeting of bishops considering more welcoming language towards gays and divorced canal licktho. the issue will continue to be debated ahead of a follow-up meeting next year. an emotional homecoming this week for the family of american jeffrey fowle, released after spending five months as a prisoner in north korea. while visiting there, the 56-year-old fowle was arrested for leaving a bible in a sailor's club, which the country said was illegal. the u.s. called on north korea to release two other americans still imprisoned there. matthew miller and christian missionary kenneth bae. now, a special report. tens of thousands of migrant children largely from central

america have flooded into the u.s. over the past year in a surge that culminated this summer. they're now awaiting court decisions about whether they should be deported. kim lawton looks at how people of faith are trying to help the children through the complicated legal process, even as the nation continues to debate whether or not they should be sent back. >> reporter: in suburban maryland, teenage siblings henry and sarah are taking a walk with their uncle and two young cousins. a world away from their former home in el salvador where gangs terrorized their community. >> they start killing in front of our house, and every day was getting worse. >> reporter: henry says gang members followed him everywhere, making threats and trying to force him to join them. one of karen's close friends was raped. the situation became so desperate, that in march 2012,

their parents decided to send them to the u.s., unaccompanied, to be with their uncle. henry was 16. karen, 14. >> actually, my whole family decide that it will be better future to for us to travel to the united states. >> reporter: their father paid a smuggler mown as a coyote to take them on a perilous four-month-long journey throughout el salvador, mexico and into the u.s. sometimes rode in cars but often walked through the desert. [ speaking in foreign languag ] language ]. >> translator: in the desert we ran into wolves, a snake. we walked for three nights, and i remember that the last night i didn't think i could walk anymore, because we walked tr 6:00 at night to 6:00 in the morning. >> i just woke up, all sweaty, and remember all those times that i was sleeping outside, in the coldness. remember my family and trying to keep myself together.

>> reporter: the castillanos came at the beginning of a search of unaccompanied minors coming largely from el salvador, honduras and guatemala. to august 2014, more than 65 migrant children entered the u.s. and now await court action on their fate. some people of faith are trying to help them through the complicated legal process. >> a nation should be judged on how it treats children. >> reporter: looming in the background, an intense national debate over whether the unaccompanied minors ultimately should be sent home. >> what we should do with people already here, reunite them with their parents in the countries they come from. >> reporter: under a 2008 law designed to protect victims of trafficking, unaccompanied minors entering the u.s., not from mexico or canada, are not immediately returned to their country of origin.

instead, they're granted a legal hearing. they may apply for special immigrant juvenile status or asigh lum if they claim to be fleeing persecution. the unprecedented number of children from central america is overwhelming this process. new york law school professor lenni benson is director of the safe passage project. a group that recruits and trains pro bono attorneys to represent immigrant youth. she says because immigration proceedings are not criminal proceeding, the u.s. government is not required to provide free counsel. >> the law is so technical and complex that for a child to navigate its court oersd without an attorney, it's impossible. the impact of not having an attorney is the difference between being able to stay in the country and become a lawful resident and being deported or living undocumented. >> reporter: the government has been trying to expedite the process by fast-tracking the child migrant cases through what's known as a rocket docket. even so, the fastest cases will

likely take at least a year, maybe two, before they're resolved. this is straining many legal resources and compounded the need for attorneys willing to take on the cases. several religious groups have been trying to provide legal help for children lie henry and karen who were apprehended soon after they crossed the u.s. border. they were separated for weeks before sent to live with their uncle in maryland and began attending school. they received legal representation through catholic charities of the archdiocese of washington. >> catholic charities' purpose is to help people who are disempowered, and this is one population that is. >> reporter: attorney jennifer bibby gerth says catholic charities is having a tough time keeping up with the demand. >> we refer people to private attorneys if we can't take the case but now are told all the private other than attorneys on our list are full. >> reporter: many congregations are offering support including

this catholic church in silver spring. saying volunteers can drive them to court hearings and legal appointments or help with spanish transition. psychologists and mental health professionals can help with evaluation and counseling. after mass on this sunday, interested church members gathered to hear more. many people of faith see aiding migrant children as a religious imperative. >> from a christian perspective, also true in many other faiths, we're called to love and serve our neighbor. not the neighbor that we choose, but the neighbors that god gives to us. >> reporter: lenni benson's grandmother was an unaccompanied child who fled religious persecution in russia saying her immigration work comes out of hur jewish and and numerous commands in scripture to protect the stranger in your landants this rhetoric of how do you treat the stranger in a land? how do you embrace those who need assistance?

the more you study it, the more you see every world religion has this tenant. a tenant of being hospitable to those who are in need and come to you for assistance. >> reporter: not all agree the best way to help migrant children, let them stay in the u.s. permanently. this is an and vdvocacy group. >> we need to use the immigration laws and tighten them up so people understand when you come here, if you're not legal and you don't have a legitimate political claim or religious claim, you're going to be sent back immediately. >> reporter: rob is also a lay leader at his anglican church, while he supports scriptual mandates he believes it should be balanced demanding justice. >> when does mercy given to one cause a lack of merce ji when is

it being unmerciful to someone else? if you have a group that comes in, a large group, and they begin to receive resources, that means other people are going to have to, in the end, have less resources. >> reporter: benson argues that the u.s. must continue its tradition as an international advocate of human rights and liberty. >> the question for our government will be, even if they have deportation orders, is it ethical and legal to remove a child to a country of origin if we aren't assured that that child will be safe upon return? >> reporter: rob worries that allowing them to ultimately stay will encourage even more people to attempt the dangerous journey. >> we're giving the impression to millions of people that it's okay to come, and when you come, they'll be -- everything will be provided. there will about job. there will be -- you'll be reunited with whoever you know here, and that's a cruel thing to do. >> reporter: still others say it

would be cruel to send them home. >> no child who expresses credible fear for their life, if they're returned to their country of origin, should be forced back. >> reporter: more than two years after they arrived, henry and karen castillanos have been approved for special immigrant juvenile status and can apply for a green card. although they miss their family in el salvador, they're dreaming about a new future. >> i want to finish school and be a teacher. >> i don't feel afraid anymore. for someone to try to kill me. or do something. now i can go to school and i'm learning. i -- i think that i have a better future. >> reporter: they say they're glad they made it but wouldn't want anyone else to go through what they did to get here. silver spring, maryland.

for several year, the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints has been using its website to explain some of its misunderstood practices. the latest effort is a four-minute video about mormon's sacred under garments. it likens them to judaism prayer shawls, islamic skullcaps or the ropes of buddhist monks insisting there is nothing magical or mystical about the two-piece white undergarments, they are, says the video, signs of mormons relationship to god and their commitment to living good lives. we have a story today from fred de sam lazaro in beijing about signs that the chinese government is easing some of its hostility to religion. the reason is the finding of

environmentalists who say buddhism and other chinese traditions emphasize values that can help reduce pollution. fred's reporting is a partnership with the pulitzer center on crisis reporting, and face to face media. >> reporter: on the 20th floor of the beijing high rise one of china's senior environmental reporters is becoming a buddhist. an investigative journalist, first story about the environment was an expose that made national headlines. his hard-hitting story eventually got him fired so he continued his work add china dialogue, and international online journal. after ten years of reporting, he says he was feeling burned out. >> translator: every day what we do our good deeds, which may give us positive energy, but meanwhile, what we are facing is

the darkest side of the world. as an environmentalist every day what we see is polluted air, polluted rivers and the slaughter of wild animals. this kind of negative energy attacks us every day. where do we draw our strength from? >> reporter: liu jiang jiang swun of millions of chinese returning to buddhist daoist temples once condemned by the government. during china's revolution's revolution, many buddhist temples like this one were destroyed or defaced. today these temps are alive with worshippers. by some accounts, one out of every five chinese call themselves buddhists. some scholars say the search for faith is linked to china's massive environmental problems. >> in a world in which captainalism and socialism and consumerism create add kind of

industrial behas miss thundering ahead that is draining life out of the villages, that is polluting the soil and the air and the water, you have a heartless world. >> you mentioned that i translated -- >> reporter: martin palmer show in the chinese tv broadcast is based in the uk but working in china nearly 20 years urging religious groups to respond and encourage conservation. in 2006, he realized this message was also being heard by the communist party i. was called in for a meeting in 2006 with the minister for the environment, the minister for religion, and they were very frank. they said the single child policy has created the most selfish generation in china's history, because each child is being brought up as the center of absolute devotion guy tby th family, knowing is too much to give to them and these two communist party officials says

he want the religions to help us bring compassion back. >> reporter: but what is it that finally persuades an individual to cross the gap from atheism to buddhism? in this case the smaller tibetan bramplg with about 5 million add herants. shirley hong is a journalist and filmmaker known him more than ten years but still surprised by his decision. >> when i learned that jiang jiang was converted, i was really shocked. you know, our generation, like, we had been raised as atheist, through childhood. we were taught that, you know, all religious beliefs are superstitious. so it's very hard for me to believe in any religion. i feel there is a huge gap. i was very curious, you know? i want to know, what has made him to cross that gap?

so i, you know, start to think my other friends who was converted to buddhism. >> reporter: to satisfy her curiosity, she took a film crew to the highlands of western china, an area adjoining the autonomous year known at tibet. it's rich in biodiversity conservation groups say is greatly imperilled. this quite literally this is a lifeline to hundreds of millions of people downstream pap prominent person in her documentary, a monk who explains how conservation and respect for all living things has long been an intrinsic part of life here. [ speaking in foreign languag ] language ]. >> translator: my grandmother taught me i shouldn't wash my hands, pee in the rifbler or

make it dirty. i said, why? they told me there was a dragon god. i asked what the dragon god looked like, and they said, don't say it. don't say it. mama and papa told me in secret this is a sacred lake but said doan ever talk about it openly because we couldn't talk about god. they do not exist in the calm mist party's eyes. they are superstitions. if anyone talked about god they would be beaten, so we wouldn't dare say it. >> reporter: but through thick and thin in a country that's seen so much political upheaval and social change, those fundamental values have endured, he says. [ speaking in foreign language ]. >> translator: who will protect the environment? in the west and in china, it's the government's responsibility, but the tibetans don't think this way. this is not the buddhist way. if you think that way, you are not a buddhist. you are the protector no matter if you are a newborn or an 80-year-old, you are all protectors.

you are all responsible and you have the responsibility. all life should be protected. >> reporter: back in china's capital, guided by the tibetan monk qiamei rinpoche says his spiritual journey changed the way he sees the world and his approach to writing. [ speaking in foreign language ]. >> translator: before i only wrote from a legal point of view. it's wrong, this is a national park, how can you destroy it? now when i write, in my mind, what i think is, they are fishes. they are millions of lives. when i write this way, i think that i should speak on their behalf. i shouldn't just think of what is good for us, was good for humans. i can clearly see the change in me. >> reporter: china's omnipresent and officially atheist calm mist party appears to be actively supporting traditional culture as one official called it at this recent gathering. the formal communist party

central committee member says ecologically sustainable civilization begins with simple concepts. [ speaking in foreign language ]. >> translator: what we think in our hearts and minds will determine the state of the environment 378 traditional chinese actual cher promoteses man and nature and encourages limited consumption and a simple way of life. we support this. we don't oppose taking from nature. we do oppose over exploitation. we want gold mountain, but we also want clear water and green mountain. >> my sense is that this partnership between religion and the government around environment is only going to get stronger and stronger. >> reporter: a partnership he hopes will help low are the heavy environmental price chine ma is paying for its economic progress of recent decades. for "religion & ethics newsweekly," this is fred de sam lazaro.

on our calendar this week, hindus, sikhs and jains became a celebration of a festival of lights. also, protestants observe reformation sunday, commemorating the day in 1517 when tradition says martin luther nailed his 95 thesis to a church door in wittenberg, germany. friday is all hallows eve, halloween, followed by all saints day on saturday, honoring saints and martyrs. finally, saint nicholas greek orthodox church at ground zero in new york was the only house of worship destroyed in the attacks of 9/11. now, 13 years later, church officials have broken ground to rebuild. kim lawton has more. ♪ >> reporter: with prayers and celebration, leaders of the greek orthodox archdiocese of

america dedicated the site of the future saint nicholas national shrine at the world trade center. over looking the new 9/11 memorial. the saint nicholas parish was established by greek immigrants in 1916. in 2001, about 70 families worshipped there and many orthodox and non-orthodox workers from the wall street area would come during the week to pray. when the towers fell on 9/11, the tiny church was crushed. only a few remnants were dug out of the rubble. two torn icons, a charred bible and some liturgical items including a twisted candelabra. >> it felt like we were losing a member of our community and something that as we have struggled to deal with it and struggled to mourn saint nicholas, it's something today we're very please and grateful to be here to start the rebuilding process. >> reporter: it's been a long time coming. for years, rebuilding plans were delayed because of a legal

dispute between church officials and the port authority of new york and new jersey, which has overseen all rebuilding at ground zero. under a negotiated agreement, the new saint nicholas will be on a larger site just a short distance from its original location. the $38 million rebuild was designed by prominent spanish ark connect santiago so far the archdiocese raised $7 million for the project. al with serving as a regular greek orthodox parish, the new saint nicholas will include a non-denominational area intended to be a place of pilgrimage for those coming to the 9/11 memorial. >> but at the center for bereavement, for comfort, for prayer, for meditation, for quietness in the midst of any turbulence of life. >> reporter: church officials hope the shrine can be a witness

to all faith about the enduring hope even in the midst of unspeakable tragedy. >> next to the place where the most tragic thing that's ever happened on american soil happened. it needs to be a place to offer, to welcome, to open and to accept all sorts of people. >> reporter: the new saint nicholas is expected to be completed in two years, just in time for the parish's 100th anniversary. i'm kim lawton reporting. ♪ that's our program for now. i'm bob abernethy. you can follow us on twitter and facebook and watch us anytime on the pbs app for iphones and ipads. and visit our website where there's always much more including more about unaccompanied migrant children. you can also listen to or watch every program. join us at pbs.org. as we leave you, scenes from this week's beatification mass

for pope paul vi at the vatican. ♪ major funding for "religion & ethics newsweekly" is provided by the lily endowment, an indianapolis-based private family foundation dedicated to its founders' interests in religion, community development, and education. additional funding also provided by mutual of america, designing customized, individual, and group retirement products. that's why we're your retirement company. company

>> rose: wek to the program. i'm charlie rose. the program is "charlie rose: the week." just ahead, yeeb arrives in new york. "birdman" takes on the movie industry. >> i don't even know the guy, okay. what's your point? >> what's my point. >> what's your point? you say spit it out! what are you saying in are you saying love is absolute? >> yes, yes! the kind of love that i'm talking about, it is absolute! >> rose: we have those stories and more on what happened and what might happen. captioning sponsored by rose communications