Faith of the Fathers

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Belmont Abbey College opens home for pregnant students :: EWTN News

The following excerpt is from EWTN News:

North Carolina's Belmont Abbey College has opened a residence to help pregnant, college-age women continue their education before and after they give birth.

The residence is run by Room at the Inn, a Catholic non-profit that serves pregnant mothers and their children.

“Many young women in college facing unexpected pregnancies believe they have to give up everything to keep their babies - but they don't,” Jeanine Wray, Room At The Inn’s executive director, said July 16.

“Room At The Inn can give these young women the opportunity to continue their educations, have their babies, make a positive impact on society and fulfill their hopes and dreams.”

Friday, July 27, 2012

America edging toward confrontation on religious freedom, Archbishop Chaput warns : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The following excerpt is from Catholic Culture's Catholic World News. Emphases are mine:

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia delivered an urgent call for Catholics to take action to protect the American tradition of religious freedom, in a July 26 address to the Napa Institute in California.
The archbishop questioned whether America has “crossed the Rubicon” on religious-freedom questions, reaching a point at which political confrontation is inevitable. Without answering the question directly, he challenged the members of his audience to answer for themselves.
Catholics have always shown a deep love for the US, and the hierarchy has supported the country fully, Archbishop Chaput said. “So if the bishops of the United States ever find themselves opposed, in a fundamental way, to the spirit of our country, the fault won’t lie with our bishops. It will lie with political and cultural leaders who turned our country into something it was never meant to be.”

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America edging toward confrontation on religious freedom, Archbishop Chaput warns : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

VICTORY: Private Company Wins Challenge to HHS Mandate

The following excerpt is from The Becket Fund For Religious Liberty:

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty announces that its lawsuits challenging the unlawful HHS mandate continue following today’s victory in another lawsuit, Newland v. Sebelius, brought on behalf of a for-profit company in Colorado, whose owners are religious.
In his ruling today, Judge John L. Kane Jr., a senior federal district judge (appointed by President Carter) in Colorado granted a preliminary injunction on behalf of a religious for-profit company challenging the HHS mandate. Granting the preliminary injunction prevents the federal government from applying the HHS mandate against the company.

Read more by clicking below:

VICTORY: Private Company Wins Challenge to HHS Mandate

Ohio City Council Removes Image of Catholic College From Town Logo | CNSNews.com

The following excerpts are from CNSNews.com:

After being threatened with a lawsuit from the atheist Freedom from Religion Foundation, the city council of Steubenville, Ohio, on Tuesday decided to remove the image of Franciscan University from its town logo.
“We really see this as a crime, because we weren’t included because we were a religious institution,” Michael Hernon, vice president of advancement at Franciscan University, told CNSNews.com.
“We’re included because we’re one of the significant members of the community who are contributing over the last 60, 70 years to the economic and cultural likes of the community.”
In December 2011, the city council of Steubenville decided to revamp its town logo. Along with a silhouette of the Franciscan University chapel and cross, the logo included other Steubenville landmarks such as the Veterans Memorial Bridge and Historic Fort Steuben.
Following a complaint from a Steubenville resident, the Freedom from Religion Foundation—which is based in Madison, Wis.—threatened the city council with a lawsuit if the image of the Franciscan chapel and cross wasn’t removed from the logo.
“The inclusion of a Latin cross on the official city logo violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment,” according to a May 22 letter sent by FFRF to Steubenville Mayor Domenick Mucci and the City Council.
“The City’s inclusion of the chapel and cross, as it was intended, signals an endorsement of ‘faith’ and Christianity,” the letter said.