With a California district attorney reducing the charges against five vandals who desecrated a St. Junípero Serra statue in 2020, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco fears others will now believe they can carry out similar attacks and not face serious legal punishment.
Author: John Lavenburg
Uvalde One Year Later: ‘There’s Work to Do,’ Archbishop Says
On the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio, standing at the pulpit of the town’s lone Catholic church, reminded the community that faith and unity are essential to move forward.
President Biden Gets Cheers for His Environmental Policy Efforts
On the campaign trail, President Joe Biden was steadfast in his commitment to environmental policy. And so far through his first term, Catholic environmental advocates say he has by and large kept that commitment.
Illinois Bishops Welcome, But Also Wary of, Attorney General’s Abuse Report
A new report from the Illinois Attorney General on clergy sex abuse across the state’s six Catholic dioceses identified 451 clerics and religious brothers who abused at least 1,997 children from 1950-2019.
Baltimore Commission Probes Archdiocese’s History on Slavery
In recent months, a 17-member commission in the Archdiocese of Baltimore has been researching the archdiocese’s connection to slavery, with the goal that the work will lead to concrete action toward racial justice.
Catholic Leaders: Biden, Congress Must Do More to Curb Gun Violence
Last spring, after a combined 31 Americans were killed in two mass shootings, the federal government passed the most significant gun safety legislation in decades. Still, gun violence has persisted. And in a May 14 USA Today column, President Joe Biden echoed what Catholic leaders have continuously said: “We need to do more.”
Religious Persecution Continues To Rise Worldwide
When asked to assess religious freedom worldwide compared to a decade ago, Edward Clancy, the director of outreach for Aid to the Church in Need, doesn’t hesitate with his answer.
A Four-Route, Cross-Country Trek for Catholics to Express Their Faith
A year from now, 48 Catholics spread out at four separate locations across the country will embark on a two-month pilgrimage to Indianapolis for the start of the National Eucharistic Congress. If everything goes according to plan, they’ll encounter more than 100,000 Catholics along the way.
North Carolina Lawmakers Uphold Abortion Ban Legislation
Legislation in North Carolina that bans most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, which the state’s bishops say “represents progress toward building a culture of life,” will now become law after the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly overrode the Democratic governor’s veto.
Biden’s Vow of Humane Immigration System Unfulfilled, Advocates Say
Two years into President Joe Biden’s term, Catholic immigration leaders wonder what happened to his campaign trail pledge to create a more fair and humane immigration system. They say while some positive steps have been taken, the administration has been slow to act, increasingly political, and reliant on recycled ineffective policies.