Pope Leo encourages death penalty abolitionists as US brings back firing squad and electric chair April 25, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV sent a message of support to participants at a Catholic university event marking 15 years since the abolition of the death penalty in his home state of Illinois.
Maryland Catholic Conference engages wide-ranging state legislation in 2026 April 22, 2026By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, Immigration and Migration, Local News, Maryland Catholic Conference, Maryland General Assembly, News, Respect Life, Schools Life issues, immigration, juvenile justice and education were key issues addressed during the Maryland General Assembly session that ended April 13 that the Maryland Catholic Conference followed and took stances on.
Pro-life groups urge DOJ to stop opposing state abortion pill lawsuits April 15, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News A coalition of 78 pro-life groups sent a letter to acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche urging the Department of Justice to stop asking courts to dismiss or pause state lawsuits to roll back the Biden administration’s eased restrictions on mifepristone.
DOJ report accuses Biden administration of ‘weaponizing’ prosecutions of pro-life activists April 15, 2026By Kurt Jensen OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News More than a year after President Donald Trump pardoned 23 pro-life activists convicted of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, or FACE Act, and the Justice Department announced it would severely limit prosecutions of such cases, the department has issued an 882-page report accusing the Biden administration of weaponizing the prosecutions.
Latest Planned Parenthood report: abortions and taxpayer funding up, cancer screenings down April 12, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Planned Parenthood’s new 2024-2025 annual report showed an increase in abortions from the previous year’s report, while also showing an increase in government funding. At the same time, it showed a decrease in cancer screenings and prevention services.
Judge pauses state’s abortion pill lawsuit until FDA completes timely safety review April 9, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News A federal judge on April 7 paused Louisiana’s lawsuit challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone pending its promised safety review.
Fired Planned Parenthood whistleblower addresses Maryland March for Life April 8, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Respect Life On a warm April 6 evening in Annapolis, Mayra Rodriguez – Planned Parenthood’s 2016 Employee of the Year – stood before several hundred participants at the 47th annual Maryland March for Life with a starkly different message. She urged those gathered to confront what she described as the truth about abortion and its consequences.
Missouri bishops back amendment to limit abortion, gender transition for minors March 31, 2026By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News The Catholic bishops of Missouri on March 26 issued a statement offering their support to a ballot measure that would both limit abortion and certain types of medical or surgical gender reassignment procedures for minors who identify as transgender.
Senators seek information from FDA and abortion drug manufacturers on mifepristone March 26, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News A group of U.S. senators who oppose abortion sent investigatory letters to three abortion drug manufacturers seeking information about their products, as well as a similar letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, their committee’s Republican majority said March 25.
Life must be defended in a world wounded by warfare, pope says March 26, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Respect Life, Vatican, World News The sanctity of life, from conception to its natural end, must be defended, especially now, in a world marked by “the madness of war,” Pope Leo XIV said.
Gosnell death brings closure, renewed pro-life commitment, says investigating detective March 26, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News The death of notorious abortionist Kermit Gosnell in prison brings a sense of closure to one of the lead investigators, who relied on his deeply held Catholic faith to bring Gosnell to justice.
Vatican diplomat decries ‘eugenic’ termination of Down syndrome pregnancies March 24, 2026By Deborah Castellano Lubov Vatican News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, Vatican, World News A Vatican diplomat in Geneva issued a call for greater commitment to the defense of the dignity and rights of people with Down syndrome, decrying the current “discriminatory and eugenic practices” related to prenatal screening.
