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.”
Author: John Lavenburg
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.
Bishops to Congress: H.R. 2 Bill ‘Contains Harmful Measures’ For Migrants
With the U.S. House of Representatives set to vote on sweeping immigration legislation this week, the U.S. bishops’ conference migration committee chair has urged legislators to oppose it, deeming it incompatible with Catholic social teaching and the nation’s commitment to humanitarian protection.
Government Allows Catholic Hospital to Keep Sanctuary Lamp Burning
With a potential lawsuit looming, the federal government has issued a waiver to allow a Catholic hospital in Oklahoma to keep the flame of its long-lit sanctuary candle burning, which, in the Catholic tradition, symbolizes the presence of Christ.
Catholic Hospital Threatens To Sue U.S. Government Over Order to Extinguish Sanctuary Candle
A Catholic health system in Oklahoma has threatened to sue the federal government for violating its First Amendment rights over a decision to deny re-accreditation to one of its hospitals if it doesn’t follow an order to extinguish a long-lit sanctuary candle for safety purposes.
NYS Catholic Leader: Gov. Hochul’s Latest Abortion Access Moves Are ‘Misguided’
The New York State Catholic Conference called Gov. Kathy Hochul “terribly misguided” in her focus, after the governor signed legislation that makes abortion medication more accessible in New York, including at state universities.
Religious Freedom Commission Calls Out India, Nigeria, and Vietnam For Abuses
A government commission that monitors religious freedom abroad has recommended that the State Department designate five new countries as “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) because of their engagement in, or toleration of, “particularly severe” religious freedom violations, including against Christians.