U.S. bishops have invited Catholics to fast and pray the rosary on Friday, May 13, in response to national tensions over a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, and put abortion law solely in the hands of states.
National News
Report Identifies Abuses of Native American Children in Boarding Schools
Hundreds of boarding schools supported by the U.S. government for 150 years sought to forcefully assimilate Native American and Indigenous children into white society, a first-of-its-kind report from the Interior Department said.
Officials Condemn Violence, Threats After High Court Leak on Abortion Case
Biden administration officials issued a statement against violence May 9 following protests outside the homes of two Supreme Court justices in the Washington area as well as a spate of vandalism and disruptions targeting locales of groups that oppose abortion. Some of them include Catholic churches.
Wisconsin Bishop Condemns Arson Attack on Pro-Life Center
Police in Wisconsin’s capital are investigating what they are calling a “targeted arson” at a pro-life organization Sunday.
First Synod Results Show Need to Reach Youth, Marginalized
Key findings cited in the first U.S. diocesan synod report available for public consumption highlight a strong desire from parishioners for the Church to better reach out to the marginalized. There were calls for more transparency, more consistency in moral teaching, and a focus on the “critical” need to re-engage youth and young adults in the faith.
Arizona Bishops Lament Upcoming Executions, Say Death Penalty is Unneeded
With Arizona set to carry out its first capital executions in almost eight years, the state’s Catholic bishops fear that once the practice resumes it will be hard to stop.
Catholic News Service to Cease Domestic Operations at Year’s End
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced to staff May 4 a dramatic reorganization of its communications department, including the closure of the Washington and New York offices of Catholic News Service.
Expert Says Supreme Court Leaked Draft ‘Astonishing and Appalling’
Sherif Girgis said he felt “kind of a gut punch” after the draft of a Supreme Court majority decision was leaked late on May 2. The former law clerk at the nation’s high court couldn’t believe what he called an “astonishing and appalling” move by the leaker.
Pro-life Advocacy Groups Plan Next Steps After Abortion Opinion Leak
Although many pro-life groups immediately reacted positively to the news that the majority of Supreme Court justices seem set to overturn the court’s Roe v. Wade decision, some tempered their reaction with a continued call for more advocacy while others kept a wait-and-see approach until the court issues its opinion in the weeks ahead.
Catholic University Names Street in Honor of Sister Thea Bowman
Officials at The Catholic University of America dedicated and blessed a campus street April 29 named in honor of the late Sister Thea Bowman, a noted educator and evangelist who studied at Catholic University and whose cause for canonization was opened in 2018.