And the impact is not insignificant — and could eventually lead all the way to the Supreme Court. Details, from USA TODAY: Legislatures in more than 30 states are weighing — and in some cases passing — many fast-moving bills to restrict abortion rights in a blitz that could prompt the Supreme Court to revisit the issue. On Tuesday, Idaho‘s Legislature approved a ban on most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, a Republican, last month signed a... Read more
Last weekend, I wrote about my experience baptizing 15 babies (gulp). Today, I talk a bit more about deacons and the sacrament in my column “All Things New”: We find ourselves intersecting with people at critical pinpoints in their lives—baptisms, weddings, wakes. Moments of arrival and departure, beginnings and endings. But there’s something about baptisms that sets them apart. The liturgy isn’t the most elegant—frankly, it’s a lot of the minister just talking, reading prayer after prayer after prayer—but it... Read more
I mean, He made people able to conceive of something like this incredible video below. Who couldn’t love a Guy like that, huh? H/T Aggie Catholics. Read more
Hot on the heels of last Christmas’s internet sensation comes this inspired sequel (prequel?) about Moses and the Exodus. Enjoy. Read more
The violent reaction to the incident has prompted a response from a Catholic leader in Pakistan. Details, from Catholic News Service: The president of the Pakistani bishops’ conference has called for the arrest of a U.S. Protestant pastor whose decision to burn the Islamic sacred book has caused fury in the Muslim world and the deaths of more than 20 people. Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore, conference president, said the U.S. government should seek to diffuse mounting tensions by detaining... Read more
Someone should do a better job of checking her credentials. Details: Rutgers University in Camden will host a woman theologian next week whom the university describes as a “female Catholic bishop.” “Roman Catholic Bishop Patricia Fresen, one of only three ordained female bishops in the world,” will lecture at the university at 12:20 p.m. April 15, according to a Rutgers news release. Fresen was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church in 2008, according to www.CatholicCulture.org. “Patricia Fresen is not a Roman... Read more
The Vatican has released some details of the event — which, significantly, will not include an interfaith prayer service. From CNA: Pope Benedict XVI will call people of goodwill to join him in working for peace during a “day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world” to be held in Assisi on Oct. 27. At the start of the year, the Pope announced his plans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul’s World... Read more
And after sparking headlines over the weekend, he says he will not resign over words that he now describes as “inartful.” Details, in the Concord Monitor: New Hampshire House Majority Leader David J. Bettencourt said he regrets calling the Catholic bishop of Manchester a “pedophile pimp” and has asked for a meeting with the Catholic leader to personally apologize for his “inartful” words. But Bettencourt, 28, a practicing Catholic in his fourth term as a state representative from Salem, said... Read more
A few commenters are still upset that EWTN has pulled Fr. John Corapi’s programs. Shortly after the story broke, however, Relevant Radio — which also aired his work — issued a detailed press release, explaining their decision to remove his shows. I think it helps explain the reasoning behind that decision. It reads, in part: While the principle “innocent until proven guilty” still holds in canon law, it would be a mistake to hold that any cleric ever has a right... Read more
Last week, I posted in item on anti-abortion billboards in Chicago, featuring President Obama. Now, the Chicago Tribune reports, someone is covering them up, as you can see in the picture below. Details: Controversial billboard ads recently unveiled in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood that target the disproportionately high rate of abortion in the black community have been covered by opponents less than a week after they went up. Two of the three identical ads — which feature an image of President... Read more
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