National News
Strategic plan for Chicago’s Catholic schools stresses new funding
CHICAGO (CNS) -- The Archdiocese of Chicago's strategic plan to keep its Catholic schools vital and viable emphasizes new management strategies, the need to find new funding and a strong focus on Catholic identity and excellent academics. The plan also reorganizes the Office of Catholic Schools by creating new senior management positions in the areas of Catholic identity, academics, operations and finance.
Religious join bishops in urging states to opt for Medicaid expansion
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Bishops and men and women religious are urging governors and state legislators in a handful of states, including Pennsylvania, to opt for Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. The action comes in states where no final decision has been made on whether to expand Medicaid or let the federal government step […]
Small town celebrates 31 years of dedication to Divine Mercy
SAUK CENTRE, Minn. (CNS) — Many people come to Sauk Centre to visit the birthplace of famed novelist Sinclair Lewis, but four local men would argue that the small community can offer something much more — the gift of the Divine Mercy. Thirty-one years ago, a retired insurance agent, a restaurant night cook, a motel […]
U.S. Catholic school enrollment dropped last year but 28 schools opened
HOUSTON (CNS) -- Catholic educators opened 28 new schools and closed or consolidated 148 others during the 2012-13 school year, according to a report issued by the National Catholic Educational Association. And while a number of Catholic schools have closed, more than 32 percent of U.S Catholic schools have waiting lists.
13 state AGs urge wider exemption for contraceptive mandate
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Thirteen state attorneys general asked the federal government to expand the religious exemption under the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate to private companies. They said in a March 26 letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that the exemption should be extended beyond religious institutions.
College presidents discuss promoting Catholic identity on campus
The president of Neumann University in Aston was one of four presidents of Catholic institutions of higher learning who spoke about the findings of a new study titled "The Catholic College and University President." "Catholic presidents need to be intentional" about their school's Catholic identity and they cannot expect it to just happen on its own, said Rosalie Mirenda, president of Neumann University.
Same-sex marriage cases may not provide game-changing rules
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As Georgetown University law professor Michael Gottesman put it, the people who lined up outside the Supreme Court for days to be able to watch a legal argument about the validity of same-sex marriage must have been surprised to find half the court's time devoted to debating legal standing, jurisdiction and states' rights versus federalism. Gottesman opened a March 27 panel discussion at the Georgetown Law Center about oral arguments in two cases related to same-sex marriage heard at the court that day and March 26 by observing that both cases may well be decided over legal questions unrelated to marriage.
Catholic Charities, Notre Dame studying how well local programs work
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic Charities USA and researchers at the University of Notre Dame are joining together to study which local social services work best in moving people out of poverty. The effort, which the two organizations describe as an alliance, will identify local programs that might be duplicated elsewhere in the drive to help […]
High court: Definition of marriage less a focus than who’s defining it
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In its second day of oral arguments about aspects of laws related to same-sex marriage March 27, the Supreme Court spent little time discussing the actual definition of marriage, focusing instead on issues of jurisdiction, state's rights, motives behind the federal Defense of Marriage Act and timing.
Crowd in support of traditional marriage marches to U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Thousands of people, including hundreds from the Philadelphia Archdiocese, who gathered at one end of the National Mall March 26 in support of traditional marriage took their message to the U.S. Supreme Court as they walked and held aloft placards with signs saying: "Kids do best with a mom and dad."