Americans are justly proud of the freedoms secured by the first ten amendments to our Constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights. And freedom of religion is cited first: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .” However, …

By Gail Finke The Toronto Right to Life Association filed a suit against the Canadian government this week, alleging that a change to funding the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program amounts to government discrimination against churches and other religious groups that condemn abortion and hold conservative positions on social issues, …

See minute 30.30 for the exchange about free speech between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a student. In it Trudeau said that speech and belief are protected by Canadian law, but acting on beliefs is not. Canadian PM’s clarification on Summer Jobs Program funding seems to affirm that churches and other religions that follow their …

By Gail Deibler Finke A robust church won’t have its religious freedoms challenged, Archbishop William Lori said in a brief interview following a lecture at The Athenaeum of Ohio November 1. The Archbishop of Baltimore, who is also the head of the USCCB’s Committee on Religious Freedom and the Supreme …

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court May 16 sent the Zubick v. Burwell case, which challenges the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive requirement for employers, back to the lower courts. The justices’ unanimous decision, explained in a nine-page order, was based on the information that both sides submitted a week …

By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate passed legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Sept. 30, but the measure was awaiting action by the House. A day earlier Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New Mexico, urged Congress in a letter to pass the …

Staff Report Saturday will mark the 239th birthday of the United States of America. The nation, which in its founding document makes multiple references to man’s creator, is also home to nearly 70 million Catholics. Recent legislation and court decisions have left some Catholics wondering about the state of religious freedom in …

CNA Indiana’s passage of a Religious Freedom Restoration Act last week has created havoc and been met with loud opposition from gay rights activists. But a poll this month found that most Americans agree with such religious freedom laws.

By Nate Madden Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — Wyoming Catholic College, a Catholic university founded in 2005 in Lander, announced in late February that it “shall not participate in federal student loan programs.” The decision came after months of analysis and deliberations by the college and its board of directors. …

CNA/EWTN News ATLANTA, Ga. — On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta will hear oral arguments in a case brought by EWTN Global Catholic Network against the federal contraception mandate. “EWTN looks forward to being able to make our case against the government’s contraceptive services …