Biden names Catholic activist Stephen Schneck to religious freedom panel
United StatesRNS Stephen Schneck, a prominent Catholic political activist and academic, has been appointed by US President Joe Biden to serve on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a federal government panel dedicated to protecting religious minorities and other persecuted groups abroad. Schneck, 69, confirmed his appointment on Wednesday in an email to Religion […]
In the US, New Jersey diocese agrees to $US87.5 million deal to settle sex abuse suits
Trenton, New Jersey AP A New Jersey Catholic diocese has agreed to pay $US87.5 million to settle claims involving clergy sex abuse with some 300 alleged victims in one of the largest cash settlements involving the Catholic Church in the United States. The agreement between the Diocese of Camden, which encompasses six counties in southern […]
Catholic award for US environmental justice advocate
New Orleans, USAP A retired special education teacher turned environmental justice advocate will receive what the University of Notre Dame describes as the oldest and most prestigious honour for American Catholics. The university will present its Laetare Medal to Rise St James founder Sharon Lavigne on 15th May, during commencement ceremonies in South Bend, Indiana. In this 11th March, […]
In US, the Pope’s allies gathered to discuss his vision – and his detractors
RNS You could argue a recent gathering of Catholic cardinals, bishops, scholars and journalists in Chicago wasn’t all that unusual. After all, gatherings of influential US Catholics are common, particularly among the church’s conservative wing. But as news rolled in about the assembly of prominent faithful over the past week, peculiarities emerged. For instance: The […]
Catholic Church: Lay members fill the enthusiasm gap on Francis’ ‘Synod on Synodality’
RENÉE RODEN, of Religion News Service, reports how a few dedicated lay organisers are trying to engage American Catholics with the ‘Synod on Synodality’…
Vaccine mandates: Many US faith leaders wary of religious exemptions for vaccine
DAVID CRARY and PETER SMITH, of Associated Press, report on how Christian leaders and those of other faiths are responding to vaccine exemption requests…
Conservative PAC sues Biden administration, targeting nuns, liberal Catholics
Washington DC, USRNS Conservative political action committee CatholicVote is suing President Joe Biden’s administration in an effort to secure records of communication between the US Government and Catholic groups in regard to two hot-button issues: humanitarian aid at the Southern border and recent abortion debates. Using a pair of lawsuits, both filed on 4th February, […]
US Catholic bishops OK Communion document, avoid direct rebuff to Biden
Baltimore, USAP US Catholic bishops overwhelmingly approved a long-anticipated document on Communion on Wednesday that stops short of calling for withholding the sacrament from politicians such as President Joe Biden who support abortion rights but offers plenty of tacit justification for individual bishops to do so. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ first major statement […]
Amid Black exodus from Catholic Church in US, young Catholics are pushing the church to address racism
RNS Byron Wratee recalls the silence among white Catholic priests after the killing of Trayvon Martin. Since then, he said, he’s made a conscious decision to attend only Catholic parishes that are majority Black. He’s remained critical of the church’s response to racism and racial justice in the aftermath of numerous police killings of Black […]
US Catholic bishops urged to listen as they consider Communion document
Updated: 12:40pm (AEDT)Baltimore, USAP Pope Francis’ top envoy to the United States cautioned the country’s bishops on Tuesday that the church needs to listen before it teaches as they deliberated at their fall meeting on a sensitive document about Holy Communion that emerged amid debates over Catholic politicians’ support for abortion. “It is sometimes said […]