National News
Activists on both sides gather at court on day of Hobby Lobby ruling
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Dozens of activists gathered at the steps of the Supreme Court June 30, awaiting the court's much-anticipated decision on the constitutionality of the federal contraceptive mandate as it applies to for-profit businesses whose owners' object to it on religious grounds.
Protect Religious Freedom Restoration Act, faith leaders tell Congress
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A coalition of leaders representing different U.S. religious faiths said in a June 30 letter to congressional leaders they "are united in staunch support" to protect the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Court won’t hear case about war memorial with cross on federal land
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The U.S. Supreme Court June 30 declined to intervene in a long-running dispute over the Mount Soledad Cross war memorial located on federal land near San Diego.
Appeals court upholds legality of same-sex marriage in Utah
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that struck down Utah's same-sex marriage ban, opening the door for the issue to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
U.S. bishops laud court’s Hobby Lobby ruling, but say fight continues
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Supreme Court's June 30 ruling that certain businesses, based on their religious objections, can be exempted from a government requirement to include contraceptives in their employee health insurance coverage means "justice has prevailed," said two U.S. archbishops.
Private firms can’t be forced to cover contraceptives, high court rules
UPDATED -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday, June 30 that privately-held, for-profit companies “cannot be required to provide contraceptive coverage” under the Patient Affordable Care Act, the court said in its majority 5-4 opinion. The ruling may have an effect on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's bid to seek relief from regulations known as the HHS mandate.
U.S. bishops backed Civil Rights Act, urged people to make it work
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholic leaders supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and also urged Catholics to get behind the law to make it work, according to the yellowed pages of typewritten articles in the Catholic News Service's archive folders.
Reflections on Civil Rights Act: Progress made, work still to do
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Fifty years ago, when the Civil Rights Act was signed into law July 2 by President Lyndon Johnson, two Louisiana-born men did not feel the earth move, but they knew it was the beginning of a time of change.
Massachusetts pro-life sidewalk counselors applaud court’s decision
WORCESTER, Mass. (CNS) -- When the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled June 26 that the buffer zones around abortion clinics in Massachusetts violated First Amendment rights, pro-life advocates outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Worcester were doing what they always do -- praying on the sidewalk.
The future of TV — and how it may be shaped by the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When one breaks it down, this start-up business called Aereo had been offering its television retransmission service in only 11 metropolitan areas by the time the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision June 25, ruled the manner of its retransmission unconstitutional -- at least not without paying a fee to the networks whose programming Aereo transmitted.