National News
After 75 years since minimum wage established, workers still struggle
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Seventy-five years after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law a national minimum wage, many workers still struggle to support themselves and their families living at or slightly above that pay. "Jobs that are paid minimum wage take a lot of physical effort. You're on your feet; you're moving and working quickly. Imagine working that hard and not feeling like you can provide for yourself and your family -- it is incredibly demoralizing," said Judy Conti, an activist with National Employment Law Project.
Adjunct faculty want to form union at Catholic university, two colleges
UPDATED - RYE, N.Y. (CNS) -- Whether inspired by Catholic social teaching or rulings by the National Labor Relations Board, Catholic colleges and universities will eventually sit down with their adjunct faculty members to negotiate wages and working conditions. That's the consensus of union organizers involved in securing collective bargaining rights for adjunct and contingent faculty at religious institutions.
Knights launch Marian prayer program centered on Immaculate Conception
SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- The Knights of Columbus launched a new Marian prayer program dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception at a Mass Aug. 7 during the order's 131st supreme convention. It is the 16th such prayer program of the Knights of Columbus using a sacred image as its centerpiece.
New State Department office created to engage with faith-based groups
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The creation of the Office for Engagement with Faith-Based Communities at the State Department, announced Aug. 7, follows long-standing criticism that U.S. diplomacy has been too separated from the realities of the importance of religion.
Hold extended on Wisconsin law requiring hospital admitting privileges
MADISON, Wis. (CNS) -- A federal judge in Madison has extended a preliminary injunction blocking part of a new Wisconsin law that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of an abortion clinic.
Pope’s compassion, love touches hearts all over world, says cardinal
SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley highlighted the new evangelization in the pontificate of Pope Francis in an Aug. 6 keynote address to the Knights of Columbus supreme convention in San Antonio.
Archbishop tells migrant workers to find strength in Holy Spirit, faith
GRESHAM, Ore. (CNS) -- They come to Oregon's fields with hope and faith. Each night, St. Anne Parish's pastoral associate Corina Carsner visits a community of itinerant workers who come from California and other agricultural areas to pick crops during harvest season. She invites the workers and their families to participate in formation classes, which she leads at the camps.
Number of permanent deacons grows, but many reaching retirement age
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- While the number of permanent deacons keeps growing, those ordained to the permanent diaconate are steadily reaching retirement age, with a need to replenish their ranks, according to a study released Aug. 6 on the diaconate.
Bishop says joblessness, exploitation denying millions ‘honor, respect’
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Millions of workers are being denied the honor and respect they deserve because of a lack of jobs, underemployment, low wages and exploitation, according to the bishop who heads the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
‘Love of neighbor’ called motivation for Knights’ commitment to charity
SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- Saying "our order is stronger today than ever before, and the best is yet to come," Supreme Knight Carl Anderson delivered an annual report Aug. 6 that chronicled the record-setting activity of the Knights of Columbus at the organization's 131st annual convention.