President Donald Trump’s visit in early June to the Saint Pope John Paul II Shrine in Washington D.C. continues to generate controversy. Now Archbishop Wilton Gregory’s criticism of the visit is coming under scrutiny.
National News
USCCB President ‘Deeply Concerned’ About Court’s LGBT Ruling
The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said he is “deeply concerned” that by ruling federal law protects LGBT workers from discrimination, the U.S. Supreme Court “has effectively redefined the legal meaning of ‘sex’ in our nation’s civil rights law.”
Financial Fallout From Pandemic, Recession Causes Catholic Schools to Close
More than 100 Catholic elementary and secondary schools nationwide are expected to close by the fall, largely because of financial challenges resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic recession.
New Study: Successful Parishes Are Missionary, Emphasize Lay Leadership
Parishes with vitality are ones open to their communities, comfortable with lay leadership, and prioritize a welcoming, missionary spirit throughout their programs according to a new study.
Only 27 Percent of U.S. Voters See Trump as Religious, With Catholics Most Skeptical
New polling suggests that only 27 percent of registered voters believe President Donald Trump to be religious.
First Chance to Receive Eucharist at Mass in Months Leaves Some in Tears
A parish priest in Bangor, Maine, said he saw many Massgoers “in tears” as they took holy Communion for the first time in close to three months at a publicly celebrated Mass June 7, Trinity Sunday, at St. Paul the Apostle Church.
Amid George Floyd Protests, City Discusses Idea of Defunding Police
As protests continue across the country in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, cities, including New York, are considering defunding police departments to shift monies toward education, youth programs and social services.
Bishop From Botswana Writes Farewell Letter to Friend George Floyd
In a “farewell letter,” a bishop from Botswana recalled meeting and befriending George Floyd and his family on a visit to the United States.
Missionary Says Navajo Can’t Be Forgotten After COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 infection rates in the Navajo Nation surpassed that of New York last month, giving it the unwanted distinction of having the highest per capita infections of any place in the country and placing a strain on already over-taxed Catholic ministries in the region.
Priest-Chaplain: ‘At This Time, at This Juncture, Black Lives Matter’
As daily protests over the death of George Floyd while in the custody of a Minneapolis police officer have spilled over into some of the United States’ largest cities and roiled the nation, a chaplain to several law enforcement agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area said, “At this point, at this time, at this juncture, black lives matter.”