The Columbus Dispatch reports that after meeting with the principal of Bishop Watterson High School, Carla Hale gave a press conference to her fawning supporters in the media vowing to “continue her fight” against the Catholic Church. Far from being a private matter between two consenting adults, Hale has elevated this issue to a public debate precisely because of her own actions, first by pub... More

Anti-Catholicism is considered acceptable by many elite opinion leaders. Last week, 43 Catholic organizations, including Franciscan University and Ave Maria University — two schools that stopped offering health coverage because of the president’s health care plan — filed lawsuits against the Obama administration for infringing on their religious freedom.  Even the University of No... More

The condescension of the media is staggering at times: Seriously, that’s supposed to be a real question, Kyra Phillips? That a Catholic bishop should just chuck 2,000 years of tradition and the teachings of Christ because a minority of people who claim to be Catholic have abandoned the true meaning of marriage? And, by the way, Bishop Malone is not simply “changing tactics” in... More

Cardinal Timothy Dolan sent a letter to his brother bishops earlier this week where he revealed a shocking conversation that recently took place at a meeting between White House and USCCB staff: At a recent meeting between staff of the bishops’ conference and the White House staff, our staff members asked directly whether the broader concerns of religious freedom—that is, revisiting the stra... More

Larry Doyle, an Irish catholic, fancies himself a comedian, but no one is laughing at his latest attempt at satire: “The Jesus-Eating Cult of Rick Santorum.” This is a new low, even for The Huffington Post. In some sense there isn’t anything shocking about what Doyle writes. It’s the same old, tired lies we hear about the Church all the time from vicious anti-catholics. Wha... More

Two words came to my mind after watching Nicki Minaj’s bizarre exorcism hip-hop performance (click at your own risk) on last night’s Grammy Awards: talentless and coward. From a mock confession, to the use of our sacred music (O Come Let us Adore Him), to an altar boy knelt in prayer between the legs of a half-dressed dancer, the Grammy’s confirmed America’s last acceptable prejudice. Wh... More

And the Pope has cast his arms abroad for agony and loss, And called the kings of Christendom for swords about the Cross… – Lepanto by G. K. Chesterton I have sympathy for the sentiment Emily expresses. I do. I know it’s a lament shared by many Catholics when they look at the state of the Church now. It’s important we acknowledge past sins of omission — personal, pa... More

Meet Jamie Pedersen, the prime sponsor of a bill to redefine marriage in the Washington State House. Here’s how Pedersen responded to a constituent of his who emailed him asking him not to redefine marriage (emphasis mine): Thanks for your message.  I strongly disagree with you on this issue and am the House prime sponsor of the bill that will provide marriage equality for same-sex couple... More

Am I being too conspiratorial wondering why Rick Perry is talking about Rick Santorum being Catholic on the campaign trail in South Carolina? Via NBC: FLORENCE, SC — Speaking to media during an impromptu press conference Tuesday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry twice mentioned rival Rick Santorum’s Catholic faith in criticizing his record on fiscal issues. “Rick Santorum is a good man, he is ... More

This morning I attended the Congressional oversight committee’s hearing on the Department of Health and Human Service’s decision to pass-over the US Bishops Conference and award a grant to help victims of human trafficking to other, less-qualified organizations that consent to doing referrals for abortions, sterilization and contraception. Before I get to summarizing my experiences, I ... More