Washington
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U.S. bishops, religious leaders call for religious liberty protections
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, CNS
Published July 4, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—A diverse group of religious leaders, including Catholics, Protestants, evangelicals and a representative from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, issued an open letter July 2 urging the U.S. government to “expand conscience protections” in its Health and Human Services contraceptive mandate. The letter, which said the country’s “delicate liberty of conscience is under […] Full Story
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Senate immigration bill passes, moves to uncertain fate in House
By PATRICIA ZAPOR, Catholic News Service
Published July 4, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—The diverse coalition of faith, labor, business and civil rights activists who are trying to rework the nation’s immigration system celebrated the June 27 Senate passage of a massive reform bill. The bill moves to the House, where Speaker John Boehner has said he would not allow it on the floor unless a majority […] Full Story
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Court overturns DOMA, sends Proposition 8 back to lower court
By PATRICIA ZAPOR, Catholic News Service
Published July 4, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—The federal Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, defining marriage as between one man and one woman, is unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause, the Supreme Court ruled June 26 in a 5-4 opinion. In a separate case, the court sent back to lower courts a challenge to California’s Proposition 8, the voter-approved initiative […] Full Story
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Bishops to study final HHS rule; attorney sees little change
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, Catholic News Service
Published July 4, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—The final rules issued June 28 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services implementing its mandate that employers provide coverage of contraceptives “will require more careful analysis,” New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said in a statement. The cardinal, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the 110-page ruling is […] Full Story
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Administration Drops Fight To Limit Plan B
By CAROL ZIMMERMANN, CNS
Published June 20, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—U.S. Catholic officials expressed disappointment with the June 10 announcement that the federal government will comply with a judge’s ruling to allow girls of any age to buy the morning-after pill without a prescription. The decision reversed recent course of action by the federal government. On May 1, the Justice Department announced that it […] Full Story
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Scouts’ Policy Change ‘Not In Conflict’ With Church
By MARK PATTISON, CNS
Published June 6, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—The head of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting said the Boy Scouts’ vote in May to admit homosexual youth into their ranks is “not in conflict with Catholic teaching,” something by which “we should be encouraged.” Edward Martin, the committee’s national chairman, said Scouting is “still the best youth-serving program available to all […] Full Story
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‘Pacem In Terris’ Guides 21st-Century Peace Efforts
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, CNS
Published May 9, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—Recognizing the inherent dignity of each person is the greatest weapon anyone has against war and violence, Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, told a conference marking the 50th anniversary of Blessed John XXIII’s encyclical “Pacem in Terris” (“Peace on Earth”). Peace is intimately connected to working for […] Full Story
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Grand Jury: Gosnell’s Clinic A ‘Baby Charnel House’
By JOSEPH AUSTIN, CNS
Published April 25, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—When a team of health officials and investigators looking into illegal drug use raided Dr. Kermit Barron Gosnell’s Women’s Medical Society Feb. 18, 2010, they happened upon what many are calling a “house of horrors.” “There was blood on the floor. A stench of urine filled the air. A flea-infested cat was wandering through […] Full Story
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Judge Lifts Age Limits On Emergency Contraceptives
By CNS
Published April 11, 2013WASHINGTON (CNS)—An April 5 decision by a New York federal judge to lift age limits on purchases of over-the-counter emergency contraceptives should be “appealed and overturned,” according to an official of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops. “No public health consideration justifies the unregulated distribution of such drugs to children,” said Deirdre McQuade, spokeswoman for […] Full Story
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Catholic Charities USA Collects Funds To Aid Hurricane Victims
Published November 8, 2012
Charities USA is accepting cash donations as it develops its response to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Donations can be made online at the Catholic Charities USA website at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org. Donations also can be made by calling toll-free (800) 919-9338 or by mail to P.O. Box 17066, Baltimore, MD 21297-1066. The Alexandria, Va.-based agency has […] Full Story
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7 Keys To The New Evangelization
By PETER MURPHY, Commentary
Published October 25, 2012Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting Oct. 11 and ending Nov. 24, 2013, to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their example. The Year of Faith is meant to reflect one of the themes of Pope Benedict’s pontificate, the New Evangelization. He called a Synod […] Full Story
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7 Keys To The New Evangelization
By PETER MURPHY, Commentary
Published October 25, 2012Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting Oct. 11 and ending Nov. 24, 2013, to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their example. The Year of Faith is meant to reflect one of the themes of Pope Benedict’s pontificate, the New Evangelization. He called a Synod […] Full Story
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10 Ways Vatican II Shapes The Church Today
Published October 11, 2012
The Catholic Church marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council by Blessed Pope John XXIII on October 11. The Council ran from 1962-1965, producing 16 documents over the course of four sessions. Over 2,000 bishops from around the world participated. The Council introduced major reforms and stands among the most […] Full Story
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Timeline Of Events Related To Health Reform Mandate
By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN, CNS
Published May 24, 2012Here is a timeline of key events related to the health reform law and the Department of Health and Human Services’ requirement that contraceptives, including some abortion-inducing drugs, and sterilizations be covered free of charge in most health plans. Feb. 22, 2010: President Barack Obama releases his proposal for health reform. March 23, 2010: The […] Full Story
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List Of 43 Plaintiffs In 12 Lawsuits Against HHS Mandate
Published May 24, 2012
Here, listed by the federal jurisdiction in which they were filed, are the plaintiffs in the 12 lawsuits filed May 21 against the Department of Health and Human Services’ mandate that most health plans must cover sterilizations and contraceptives, including some abortion-inducing drugs. District of Columbia – Archdiocese of Washington – Consortium of Catholic Academies, […] Full Story
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Catholic Dioceses, Agencies Sue To Stop HHS Mandate
By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN, CNS
Published May 24, 2012Forty-three Catholic dioceses, schools, hospitals, social service agencies and other institutions filed suit in federal court May 21 to stop three government agencies from implementing a mandate that would require them to cover contraceptives and sterilization in their health plans. “Through this lawsuit, plaintiffs do not seek to impose their religious beliefs on others,” said […] Full Story
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Catholics Urged To Join In ‘Fortnight For Freedom’
By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN, CNS
Published April 26, 2012American Catholics must resist unjust laws “as a duty of citizenship and an obligation of faith,” a committee of the U.S. bishops said in a new statement on religious liberty. Titled “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty,” the 12-page statement by the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty also calls for “a fortnight for freedom” from […] Full Story
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Catholic Agencies Mandated To Offer Free Contraception, Sterilization In Health Plans
By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN, CNS
Published February 2, 2012Although Catholic leaders vowed to fight on, the Obama administration has turned down repeated requests from Catholic bishops, hospitals, schools and charitable organizations to revise its religious exemption to the requirement that all health plans cover contraceptives and sterilization free of charge. Instead, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, […] Full Story
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Haiti Quake Recovery Slow; Cholera Epidemic Grows
By DENNIS SADOWSKI, CNS
Published January 6, 2011Not much has changed in the region around Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, since a magnitude 7 earthquake leveled just about anything that was standing. In fact, it’s likely the 1.5 million Haitians left homeless by the earth’s movement would say things have gotten worse since the Jan. 12 quake that killed 230,000 and injured 300,000. Now, […] Full Story
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Health Care Reform Brings ‘Wound To Church’s Unity’
By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN, CNS
Published January 6, 20112010 will be known in many circles as the year of health reform. Among Catholics, it might also be known as the year that caused, as Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George said in his final talk as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a “wound to the church’s unity.” Leaders of the USCCB […] Full Story