U.S. bishops urge Catholics to express opposition to free birth control mandate

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging Catholics to write letters of opposition to the federal government over its recent decision to require insurance providers to cover birth control without co-payments. The site also urges people to ask Congress to support the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act. More…

A tax law primer as Maryland churches are lobbied to oppose marriage equality

As The American Independent recently reported, Maryland groups against same-sex marriage legalization in the state are informing churches how to influence legislation without violating tax rules codified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Maryland Del. Burns pressures churches, blacks to oppose marriage-equality bill

Unsatisfied with how Maryland’s religious community campaigned against same-sex-marriage legislation that died in the state House of Delegates in 2011, Del. Emmett C. Burns, Jr., is taking matters into his own hands.

Vatican: Comprehensive sex ed in NYC schools is ‘useless and even harmful’

A new New York City education policy that mandates comprehensive sex education in all city public schools has caused ire within the Vatican.

Poll: 66 percent of Americans agree with HHS birth control decision

According to a recent Kaiser Health Tracking Poll conducted by Public Opinion and Survey Research Program, 66 percent of Americans agree with the federal government’s recent decision to include birth control in its list of preventative services. #

N.M. Bishops back law allowing foreign nationals with residency to obtain driver’s license

The Roman Catholic Bishops of New Mexico support the current driver’s license law allowing foreign nationals to obtain a driver’s license with New Mexico residency, and oppose Gov. Susana Martinez’ push to change the law.

From their op-ed:

We support extending driver’s license privileges only to residents of the

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Rep. Kriesel, Catholic priest at odds over gay marriage amendment

A feud between Rep. John Kriesel and Rev. John Echert of Holy Trinity/Saint Augustine Parish in South St. Paul erupted on Catholic blogs on Tuesday. Kriesel, a Republican who opposes a putting an anti-gay marriage amendment on the ballot in 2012, received a letter from Echert that said More…

The mainstreaming of Bill Donohue

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, purchased a full-page ad yesterday in the New York Times entitled “Straight Talk about the Catholic Church.” In it, he attempts to dispel alleged misconceptions about the pervasiveness of child abuse committed by priests, insisting that the extent of wrongdoing is being More…

Despite Recession, Catholic Groups Grant Charitable Funds to Anti-Gay Marriage Initiatives

When Wall Street collapsed in late 2008, donations to charitable groups and religious organizations quickly plummeted alongside it. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, reported that the “turmoil in world financial markets and the resulting worldwide recession” had “significantly impacted” its books. In its fiscal year 2009 annual More…

In Wake of Ballot Initiatives, Questions About the National Organization for Marriage’s Funding

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal society founded in New Haven in 1881, does a lot of good work. In a report detailing its charitable giving during 2009, the organization noted that while the “Knights and their families are hardly immune to the economic downturn,” they had once More…