U.S. bishops’ religious liberty chairman: Proposed new rules on contraceptive mandate ‘disheartening’ February 7, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, News, Respect Life, World News The U.S. bishops’ religious liberty chairman called it “disheartening” that proposed new rules on the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate eliminate “protections for moral convictions” of employers who object to being forced to cover contraceptives in their employee health plans.
Diplomats, faith leaders gathered at U.N. urged to advance religious tolerance, harmony around world February 7, 2023By James Martone OSV News Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, World News A combination of U.N. ambassadors, religious leaders, diplomats, academics, representatives of nongovernmental agencies and several musicians gathered Feb. 3 in a vast conference hall at the United Nations headquarters in New York City to mark World Interfaith Harmony Week.
Russia poses ‘biggest threat to religious freedom in Ukraine,’ says archbishop February 6, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News Russia’s aggression poses “the biggest threat to religious freedom in Ukraine,” said Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak, head of all Ukrainian Catholics in the U.S., during a Jan. 30 panel discussion on the subject.
Pope, church leaders draw attention to victims of violence February 6, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis’ visit to Congo and his ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan put a face — actually, thousands of faces — on the horror of war.
Gregory: World needs African Americans’ ‘strength of character’; it ‘resides within the souls of our people’ February 6, 2023By Richard Szczepanowski OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Racial Justice, World News Celebrating a Feb. 5 Mass in honor of Black History Month, Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory urged “ordinary people of color” to “vastly improve our world with an understanding of the strength of character that resides within the souls of our people.”
Pope saddened by ‘huge loss of life’ after earthquakes in Turkey and Syria February 6, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis expressed his “spiritual closeness” and “solidarity” with those affected by a pair of powerful earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria Feb. 6.
Catholic lawmaker calls for ‘frank and sober’ security conversation after Chinese balloon shot down February 6, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, U.S. Congress, World News A Chinese surveillance balloon flying at high altitudes over the continental U.S. was shot down over the water off the South Carolina coast by U.S. military Feb. 4, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III confirmed in a statement Saturday afternoon.
Arms trade is a ‘plague,’ pope says on flight back from Africa February 6, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News At the end of six days in African countries bloodied by war and conflict, Pope Francis said that “the biggest plague” afflicting the world today is the weapons trade.
Over 1,500 dead as 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocks Turkey, Syria; Caritas offices destroyed in Turkish Iskanderun February 6, 2023By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News powerful earthquake struck Turkey and Syria in the early morning hours of Feb. 6, killing hundreds and leaving thousands more wounded.
Free childbirth or reduce cost of raising kids? Pro-life leaders mull proposal for Congress February 6, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News Some pro-life leaders have called on Congress to make childbirth free for mothers, while others maintain addressing the financial burden of raising children will make greater impacts on saving lives from abortion.
Affordable child care key component of post-Roe response, advocates say February 5, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Respect Life, Social Justice, World News Affordable child care must be a core component of a post-Roe response from the Church, advocates at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering said on Jan. 30.
Speakers address how local churches can protect lives of mothers, unborn children from domestic violence February 4, 2023By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, World News Mary McClusky, assistant director of Project Rachel Ministry Development at the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said that, despite the fact that the lives of both pregnant women and their children in domestic violence situations are often at risk, there is always hope.
