‘We are better than this,’ deacon says before Johnson’s execution January 16, 2021By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, Supreme Court, World News Johnson, 52, was pronounced dead by lethal injection at 11:34 p.m. EST Jan. 14 at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. His was the 12th federal execution since last summer.
Supreme Court says abortion drugs must be obtained in person, not by mail January 13, 2021By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, Supreme Court, World News The Supreme Court Jan. 12 reinstated a federal requirement that women who are seeking abortion-inducing drugs must do so in person, not by mail, as a federal judge had allowed last year due to the pandemic and the high court had let stand.
Lisa Montgomery put to death after Supreme Court reversal January 13, 2021By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, Supreme Court, World News After a flurry of court decisions, the Supreme Court reversed a pair of rulings from federal appeals courts that had put death-row inmate Lisa Montgomery’s execution on hold, and it denied two other last-minute requests to postpone the execution.
Chicago Father Pfleger steps aside over allegation of abuse more than 40 years ago January 6, 2021By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, World News Father Michael Pfleger, a popular Chicago priest and outspoken advocate against gun violence, gangs, poverty and racism, has stepped aside from his ministry after the Chicago Archdiocese said it received an allegation that the priest had sexually abused a minor more than 40 years ago.
Catholic advocates against death penalty urge clemency for woman on federal death row December 30, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News The execution date of Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row, is currently undecided. In late December a federal judge said the Justice Department unlawfully rescheduled her execution while there had already been a stay in effect, granted because one of her attorneys tested positive for the coronavirus.
Death penalty hits historic low in U.S. ‘despite federal execution spree,’ says report December 17, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News A new report Dec. 16 by the Death Penalty Information Center said the use of capital punishment reached a historic low this year in the United States even with the return of federal executions by the Trump administration.
Catholic leaders decry additional federal execution measures December 1, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News A move by the Department of Justice to expand how it carries out federal death sentences — to include electrocution, gas or firing squads along with lethal injections –was sharply criticized by Catholic anti-death penalty activists.
Court says N.Y. pandemic limits on houses of worship restrict religious freedom November 27, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Supreme Court, World News In a 5-4 decision issued just before midnight Nov. 25, the Supreme Court lifted the pandemic restrictions on congregation sizes at houses of worship imposed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
U.S. bishops urge Trump, Barr to stop upcoming federal executions November 19, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News In response to the upcoming federal execution of Orlando Hall Nov. 19, and two more federal executions scheduled to take place in December, two U.S. bishops’ committee chairmen called on the government to end this practice.
Bishops encouraged to continue response to pandemic, racism, abuse November 17, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, Racial Justice, U.S. Bishops Meeting - Fall 2020, World News Two women who lead groups that advise the U.S. bishops on key issues, encouraged them Nov. 16 to continue holding dialogues on racism, reaching out to Catholics during the pandemic and letting Catholics know about their efforts to prevent abuse in the church.
Alex Trebek dies at 80; host of ‘Jeopardy!’ was educated in Catholic schools November 10, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Obituaries, World News When the death of Alex Trebek — beloved longtime host of “Jeopardy!” — was announced, celebrities and fans around the country took to social media to express their grief.
Supreme Court set to hear arguments in Catholic foster care case November 2, 2020By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Supreme Court, World News The Supreme Court, with a full bench, will hear oral arguments by teleconference Nov. 4 about a Catholic social service agency that had been excluded from Philadelphia’s foster care program for not accepting same-sex couples as foster parents.
