A coalition of religious groups in New York, including Carmelite sisters that run a home for the elderly and dying, Anglican sisters, religious social service agencies, and the Diocese of Albany are suing New York state for requiring them to provide abortion coverage in their health insurance plans.
Author: Carol Zimmermann
Church’s Abuse Response: The ‘Dallas Charter’ and the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Child Protection Office
In 2002, the U.S. bishops responded to a wave of media reports of clergy abuse of minors by developing a national policy to oust predators and protect children.
Maine Voters Won’t Vote on Abortion Amendment After Measure Fails in State Legislature
An attempt to have voters determine if the right to an abortion should be amended to the Maine Constitution fell short after it did not gain enough votes by state legislators.
Study: U.S. Catholics Worry About Climate Change But Don’t See It as Top Issue
Although U.S. Catholics are concerned about climate change, most of them do not see it as a high-priority issue, according to a recent survey.
Indiana’s Abortion Ban Could Violate Religious Freedoms, Appeals Court Says
An Indiana abortion ban faced a new hurdle last week when an appeals court said the state’s near-total ban on abortion could infringe on the religious freedom of some Indiana residents.
Arizona Bishops, Pro-Life Leaders Praise Court’s Abortion Ruling, But Warn Against Proposed Abortion Measure
While Arizona’s Catholic bishops and state and local pro-life groups were pleased with the ruling by the state’s Supreme Court April 9 — which let stand an 1864 law banning abortions — they also cautioned Arizonans to vote against a proposed amendment on the November ballot that would undo this ban.
States Considering Bills That Would Require Students to Watch Videos on Development of Life in the Womb
A bill on the Tennessee governor’s desk would require public school students to watch a three-minute computer-generated video on fetal development. The film, “Meet Baby Olivia,” is produced by the pro-life group, Live Action, which conducts undercover investigative reports on Planned Parenthood and abortion facilities.
Catholic Parishes, Schools, Institutions in Western NY Prepare for Rare View of Solar Eclipse
Although the Diocese of Brooklyn is not in the 100-mile-wide path from Texas to Maine for totality of the solar eclipse on April 8, parts of Western New York are right inside this path and Catholic schools, colleges, retreat houses, and parishes there are gearing up for the rare few minutes of daytime darkness when the moon completely blocks the sun.
Iowa Governor Signs State Religious Freedom Act
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act April 2 that grants state-level protections similar to the federal legislation of the same name, known by its acronym, RFRA.
Baltimore’s Apostleship of the Sea Is Part of Global Church Outreach to Seafarers
After a container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore March 26 causing its collapse, news reports mentioned how members of Baltimore’s Apostleship of the Sea had reached out to and cared for the ship’s crew members.
