The final rules issued on June 28 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services implementing its mandate that employers provide coverage of contraceptives “will require more careful analysis,” New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said in a statement. The H.H.S. final ruling updates p

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholics working for environmental justice welcomed President Barack Obama's plan to address climate change, saying it is an ambitious proposal that deserves watching to ensure that it is carried out.The primary concern identified by the faith-based environment advocates rev

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The federal Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, defining marriage as between one man and one woman is unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause, the Supreme Court ruled June 26 in a 5-4 opinion.In a separate case, the court sent back to lower courts a challenge to Californ

Many bishops lamented a scarcity of resources to support the reunification of families.

President Barack Obama June 14 nominated Ken Hackett, retired president of Catholic Relief Services, to be U.S. ambassador to the Holy See. Obama's announcement about Hackett came late in the day, along with his nominees for ambassador posts in Brazil, Spain, Germany, Denmark and Ethiopia.&

Three bishops weighed in on the ongoing congressional debate on immigration reform legislation June 10, warning against amending a Senate bill in ways that would block the path to legalization for undocumented immigrants.At a news conference in San Diego, held as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bish

Comprehensive immigration reform legislation barely cleared its first hurdle in Congress in May with the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., known as CLINIC, is already gearing up to help a potential pool of 11 million people apply for legaliz

The life of Blessed John XXIII is a lesson in how obedience and trust in God lead to an interior peace that is naturally recognized by and shared with others, Pope Francis said.Joining a pilgrimage of 3,000 people from the late pope's home diocese -- Bergamo, Italy -- Pope Francis prayed at the

Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town and legendary opponent of South African apartheid, was awarded the 2013 Templeton Prize on April 4. • In a letter on March 22, Bishop Michael J. Bransfield of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston urged Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to support the

nbsp Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio 76 was elected the 266th pope and took the name Francis The election March 13 came on the first full day of the conclave on the conclave 39 s fifth ballot It was a surprisingly quick conclusion to a conclave that began with many plausible candidates