This popped up in my Facebook feed this afternoon—a timely dissection of how law enforcement handled the issue of abortion in the days before it was legal. From 2010, an analysis from Americans United for Life: The political claim—that women were or will be prosecuted or jailed under abortion laws—has been made so frequently by Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and NOW over the past 40 years that it has become an urban legend. It shows the astonishing power of contemporary media to... Read more

This is something extraordinary in a Muslim country: In a landmark ruling last week, a Malaysian court upheld the rights of a Christian to convert from Islam. The judgment establishes a precedent in a country where religious conversions, particularly from Islam to Christianity, have been steeped in controversy. The verdict reaffirms the right of freedom of religion, guaranteed under Article 11 of Malaysia’s constitution. Rooney Rebit, the plaintiff, argued that his belief in Jesus was a fundamental human right, and... Read more

In case anyone missed it, here’s a statement released Wednesday from the organizers of the annual March for Life: Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, who just last night confirmed that he had “evolved” on the issue of abortion and is now pro-life, managed to upset both pro-lifers and abortion supporters with his comments that women who have abortions should face “some form of punishment” if abortion were to be banned in the United States. “Mr. Trump’s comment today is completely out of touch... Read more

From The New York Times:  The Food and Drug Administration stepped into the politics of abortionon Wednesday, relaxing the requirements for taking a medication that induces abortion, a move that is expected to expand access to the procedure. The move was a victory for abortion rights advocates who had been fighting laws in states like Texas, North Dakota and Ohio that required providers to follow the requirements on the original F.D.A. labels for the drug when conducting abortions by medication.... Read more

My friend Fr. Mike Mendl, of the Salesians, sent this my way, from his order’s website, dated March 30. Translated from the Italian: (ANS – Rome) – In the face of hearsay and rumors circulating on the net about the current situation of Don Uzhunnalil, we asked for authoritative answers to Father Mathew Valarkote, Secretary of the Province of Bangalore… Any news on the situation of Father Tom? According to Msgr. Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, which is... Read more

Grim stuff:  Whether they call it a “starter” marriage, “beta” marriage or “test” marriage, the 25- to 35-year-old generation has a far more elastic definition of the concept of “forever.” How elastic? A recent study found that 43 percent of millennials supported a form of marriage that allowed couples to easily split up after two years, while a full third were open to “marriage licenses” valid — like mortgages — for set periods of time. It’s an impressive figure, especially... Read more

From the local CBS affiliate in Boston:  Police are investigating the vandalism of three religious statues at a Catholic church in Burlington. Father Frank Silva at Saint Margaret’s Church in Burlington saw the destruction right away. “I immediately noticed the head had been chopped off and as I got closer the hands had been broken off,” Father Silva said. The statue of the blessed mother desecrated, her head knocked right off. But that’s not all, just up the hill, two more statues... Read more