Gusts of wind flapped the altar cloth and rippled the clergy’s vestments during Mass on the farm and the blessing of the seeds in the Pieper family’s cavernous hoop barn April 15.
National News
Oklahoma Denies Appeal by Death Row Inmate for New Trial
An Oklahoma court has denied the request for a new trial for death row inmate Richard Glossip, even though the state’s attorney general said he had concerns about some of the testimony and evidence in the case.
Catholics Blast DeSantis Move on Death Penalty as ‘Stunning’ Attack on Human Life
Catholic organizations have called a new Florida law that ends the unanimous jury requirement in death penalty sentencing “stunning” and a “thinly veiled attack on human life,” while the state’s governor — a potential 2024 presidential contender — argues the law allows proper justice to be served.
Supreme Court Stays Abortion Pill Ruling
The Supreme Court on April 21 ruled to preserve nationwide access to a drug used in chemical abortions, rejecting a Texas lower-court restrictions while a lawsuit continues.
Mississippi Enacts Legislative Package Praised by Advocates as ‘Pro-Life Safety Net’
After its defense of a state law limiting abortion made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, resulting in the court’s subsequent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June, Mississippi passed a package of bills that state officials said demonstrate creating a safety net for both mothers and babies.
People In Poverty, Environment Face Toxic Realities That Demand United Action, Says Villanova Panel
Perhaps the strongest message to emerge from Villanova University’s April 18 Second Annual Anti-Poverty Symposium — “Unitas in Action: Fighting Poverty and Living Sustainably” — is that the intersection between poverty and environmental destruction is no coincidence. In the global chain of pollution and profit, poor communities are almost always adversely and disproportionately impacted.
Many Birthday Wishes for the Oldest U.S. Nun
Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, is indeed special. At 110 years of age, she has the distinction of being the oldest nun in the U.S. She is also the second oldest ecclesiastical person in the world.
‘Our Prayers Go Up’: Kansas City Catholics Turn to Faith, Dialogue After Ralph Yarl Shooting
Catholics in Kansas City, Missouri, are turning to faith, dialogue and discernment after a local Black teen was shot by a white homeowner for mistaking an address in the course of picking up his younger siblings.
Washington State House Passes Bill Requiring Clergy to Violate the Seal of Confession
After the Washington state House of Representatives failed to pass an amendment to a bill that would require clergy to violate the seal of confession, Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane reminded legislators that throughout history “all” such attempts by “kings, queens, dictators, potentates, and legislators” have failed, and that even if it passed, clergy wouldn’t capitulate.
Washington State Bill on Abuse Reporting Moves Forward Without Seal of Confession Exemption
Catholic leaders in the state of Washington have expressed concern over a bill advancing in the state legislature that would require priests to report child abuse or neglect even if they heard about it during a person’s confession.