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Hobby Lobby ruling: ‘Closely held’ corporations can’t be forced to cover contraceptives
(Updated at 12:44 p.m.) By Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service READ MORE: USCCB Releases Statement Live Twitter feed of Supreme Court Coverage WASHINGTON — In a narrowly tailored 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court June 30 said closely held companies may be exempted from a government requirement to include contraceptives …
Hobby Lobby ruling expected this morning
Staff Report The Supreme Court decision in the cases involving the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate and for-profit employers Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Woods will be handed down this morning, June 30, around 10 a.m.
Supreme Court strikes down ‘buffer zones’ at abortion clinics
By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — In a June 26 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that 35-foot buffer zones around abortion clinics — meant to keep demonstrators away — violates First Amendment rights. Supreme Court watchers suspect a decision in the other high-profile case being monitored …
Kenyan bishops blame corruption, ethnic tensions for insecurity
By Francis Njuguna Catholic News Service NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Catholic bishops blamed “inherent corruption” and ethnic tensions for the country’s recent insecurity. A June 25 statement signed by the country’s 26 bishops said the “situation has been aggravated further by the rising political temperatures on both sides of the …
USCCB divine worship official takes post with pastoral musicians’ group
By Catholic News Service SILVER SPRING, Md. — Msgr. Richard Hilgartner, outgoing executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Divine Worship, has been named the new president of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, based in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring. Msgr. Hilgartner will assume his new role …
Pope lightens his summer schedule, as he did in 2013
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis‘ schedule for summer 2014 is almost an exact duplicate of the schedule he kept in 2013, except he will be making an August trip to South Korea for Asian Youth Day. Last year, he traveled to Brazil in July …
Pope to fathers: Teach your children well, always be by their side
(Editor’s Note: This Catholic News Service report was originally released on March 19, 2014. With Fathers’ Day this weekend, the story has been reposted for your enjoyment.) By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — On the feast of St. Joseph, patron saint of the universal church and Jesus’ …
At spring assembly, U.S. bishops urged to promote, support families
By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. bishops gathered in New Orleans for their spring general assembly June 11-13, were urged to promote and support Catholic families. Among the bishops in attendance were the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph R. …
Pope tells presidents only God can bring peace to Holy Land (Video)
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Praying for peace in the Holy Land alongside leaders of long-antagonistic nations, Pope Francis called on God to act where human efforts had failed, to end what he described as violence inspired by the devil.
Group urges allowing Eastern Catholic married priests in North America
By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON —The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation voted in early June to encourage the “lifting of the restrictions regarding the ordination of married men to the priesthood in the Eastern Catholic Churches of North America.”