The student charged in his death now awaits trial, but police are not calling the attack a hate crime.
Religious Freedom
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
‘Peace Cross’ deemed unconstitutional, court rules.
Chief justice: the ruling “confuses maintenance of a highway median and monument in a state park with excessive religious entanglement.”
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Groups settle in lawsuit against HHS contraceptive mandate
Cardinal Wuerl: the legal agreement provides a “level of assurance as we move into the future.”
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Trump administration expands exemptions on contraceptive mandate
Religious groups that had opposed the mandate were pleased with the administration’s action.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Congressman urges action to aid Christians in Iraq
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said that IS militants began committing genocide against Yezidis and Christians in Iraq in 2014, and “three years later, they are still not receiving the assistance they need from the United States and so their survival in their ancient homelands is in jeopardy.”
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Christians should return to Iraq as full citizens after being driven out by ISIS, cardinal says
About 100,000 Christians — among them more than 60,000 Syriac Catholics — were expelled from the Ninevah Plain by the Islamic State group in the summer of 2014 as the militants campaigned to expand their reach into Iraq.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Religious minorities need protection, says top Vatican official
The “revolting reality” of recent wars shows just how urgent it is that the international community act to protect religious minorities in situations of conflict, a top Vatican official told the U.N. General Assembly.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
How the new Supreme Court term will impact the future of immigration, religious freedom and more
The court is scheduled to hear cases relating to immigration, religious freedom, federalism, voting, employee rights and federal court jurisdiction over foreign governments and corporations.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Senators’ questions for judicial nominee draw accusations of anti-Catholic bias
Three Democratic senators had pointed questions about the Catholic faith of judicial nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Posted inFaith, News
State Department religious freedom report focuses on threats by ISIS
“Religious persecution and intolerance remains far too prevalent,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.