Are more cordial relations possible in the near term between New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and President Obama? The administration and the U.S. bishops have been at loggerheads over a Department of Health and Human Services mandate for cost-free contraception in new health insurance plans and have seemed to have had more than a few brittle moments during the 2012 election. After H.H.S. recently took another crack at revising exemptions and accommodations for religious employers in its mandated coverage, Cardinal Dolan, while not signing on to the latest revision, seemed to tone down the confrontational rhetoric a notch or two, offering to continue to work with the Obama administration to find a resolution that was amenable to the consciences of all parties. That more conciliatory stance was encouraged publicly by two bishops.

Two events out of the Spring meeting of the German Bishops Conference in the western town of Trier are worth noting today A diaconate for women was proposed by Cardinal Walter Kasper during a study day on Feb 21 discussing how to involve more women in church life today Kasper spoke of a ldquo dea

Highlighting the president rsquo s quot call for sensible steps on gun control quot in his State of the Union address mdash and similar actions by NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg mdash N Y Cardinal Tim Dolan added his voice to those appealing for stricter gun regulation He

After Bishop Chaput 39 s recent scorching of the latest regulatory revision from the Department of Health and Human Services Spokane 39 s Bishop Blase Cupich has jumped in where episcopal angels may have feared to tread daring to offer some not-negative comments about the recent accomodation-exe

The announcement of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI came as a shock around the world Saying he no longer had the strength to exercise ministry over the universal church Pope Benedict XVI announced on Feb 11 that he would be resigning at the end of the month ldquo After having repeatedly ex

New labor campaigns hope to turn low-wage work into a decent living.

Reactions from other sources continue as we wait to hear from the U S bishops the Catholic Health Association and Catholic Charities USA on the latest revision of the Department of Health and Human Services mandate on contraception One of the more exhaustive considerations of the various politica

It would appear that a major obstacle to improved relations between the U S bishops and the Obama administration has been rolled away by today rsquo s revision of the Department of Health and Human Service mandate on contraceptive services in new employer-provided health care plans That rsquo s th

Seems like the bishops schools hospitals Catholic Charities etc got everything they were seeking with the below We 39 ll have to wait for a reaction quot The proposed rules would make two principal changes to the preventive services coverage rules to provide women contraceptive coverage withou

HHS press office is not confirming but CNN is reporting and other sources are indicating that a major revision of the HHS contraception mandate will be released this morning According to sources the revisions will allow religious affiliated institutions defined under prior standard of IRS code