Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following statement regarding the release of Pope Francis’s Motu Proprio earlier today. The Motu Proprio, Vos estis lux mundi (“You are the light of the world”), is a worldwide order to the Church from the Pope, in response to the evil of sexual abuse. The new law comes after a meeting in Rome that brought together all episcopal conference presidents from across the globe to discuss the Church sex abuse crisis.
National News
Abuse Conference Seeks Honest Exchange Between Bishops and Victims
A conference at the Catholic University of America (CUA) last week brought together clerical sex abuse survivors and over a dozen Catholic bishops for a daylong discussion on “healing a wounded family,” rather than on institutional reform.
Georgia Gov. Signs Heartbeat Bill Restricting Abortions
Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation May 7 to ban abortions in the state once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is around six weeks.
Illinois Diocese Wins Latest Legal Battle Over Fulton Sheen’s Body
Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s remains may soon be moving to Peoria, Illinois, following a decision from a court to reject the New York archdiocese’s efforts to keep him in the diocese where he served the bulk of his ministry.
Catholics, Protestants Unite in Iowa to Aid Immigrant Families
Last year on May 9, the town of Mount Pleasant, Iowa was devastated when an ICE raid ripped apart dozens of migrant families. One year later, residents say they’ve recovered “some sense of hope” – thanks in large part to the efforts of Catholics and Protestants working together to aid grieving families.
Democrats for Life Meet with Sen. Casey After He Attends Pro-Abortion Fundraiser
After coming under fire for attending a fundraiser for EMILY’s List last month – a political action committee dedicated to electing pro-choice women to office – Democratic Senator Bob Casey met with the head of Democrats for Life (DFLA) on Tuesday.
Bishop Testifies on Immigration As President Seeks to Change Asylum
In a memo released late April 29, President Donald Trump ordered changes for how refugees may apply for asylum to the U.S., requesting an application fee from asylum-seekers and denying them permission to work depending on how the applicant entered the country. Though the changes are not immediate, he gave administration officials 90 days to work on new regulations.
Catholic Bishops Condemn Poway Synagogue Shooting
Catholic bishops from around the U.S. were quick to condemn the April 27 attack on a Jewish community gathered at a synagogue near San Diego, which left one person dead and three others injured.
Hackers Infiltrate Ohio Parish’s Email System, Steal $1.75 Million
A carefully orchestrated plan netted email hackers $1.75 million from a Diocese of Cleveland parish.
Bayou Priest Battles Human Trafficking, with Boost From Nuns
“The heroes in today’s Church for the fight against human trafficking are religious women. It’s not the bishops, it’s not the priests. It’s religious women. Period,” Father Bayhi told The Tablet during a Vatican conference on human trafficking earlier this month.