You may remember this update from a CV Lunchtime Reader: Payback? The Obama administration has failed to renew a $19 million grant awarded to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to assist victims of human trafficking. The grant was first awarded in 2006 by the Migration and Refugee Services and has helped 2,700 victims of human trafficking. Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Bisho... More

I blush to disclose that the Cardinal Newman Society, hot on the trail of Catholic identity at Catholic colleges in advance of November’s U.S. bishops meeting, is promoting my employer, Benedictine College, as a model in this regard. This morning, the D.C.-area organization sent a notice quoting Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., telling presidents of U.S. Catholic colleges and univers... More

Welcome to the Lunchtime Reader, where we assemble important stories to keep your eyes on. Payback? The Obama administration has failed to renew a $19 million grant awarded to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to assist victims of human trafficking. The grant was first awarded in 2006 by the Migration and Refugee Services and has helped 2,700 victims of human trafficking. Sister Mary Ann Wal... More

Wow. This definitely represents a significant escalation of tone and includes the threat of consequences if the Obama administration does not, as this letter from Archbishop Timothy Dolan to the President calls for, “push the reset button” on their multipronged efforts to undermine marriage and treat Catholics who believe in marriage as bigots. Abp. Dolan is careful to point out that h... More

I’m in Indianapolis today preparing for the Frassati Society’s LIVE OUT LOUD Conference, where I’m a keynote speaker. But I wanted to offer a couple quick comments about the debt ceiling debate which is now entering it’s final critical days in Washington, DC. As you may have seen, the U.S. Bishops – under Bishops Blaire and Hubbard (remember him?) – have issued ... More

NFP Awareness Week, not unlike NFP (natural family planning) is one of the Catholic Church’s best kept secrets. Memo to Dan Brown: I think you could come up with a great story here. This might be bigger than your tired Da Vinci Code. Read more here. ...READ MORE... More

“At a Time of Painful Budget Cuts, Defunding Planned Parenthood ‘Not One of Those Hard Choices’” The bishops speak: In an April 13 letter to the U.S. House of Representatives, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston urged Congress to vote for a resolution to ban federal funding of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In the midst of a budget debate involvin... More

Morley Safer of CBS’ 60 Minutes spent some time talking with one of my favorite Catholics, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York. Dolan is a gregarious Irishman with a smile that doesn’t quit, a magnetism that holds your attention, an eloquence that instructs without overburdening, and honesty and fidelity that inspire. My final semester in seminary began with a 5-day silent retreat wit... More

The press has attempted at times to suggest that there is a cozy relationship between the US Bishops and the White House. But the statement released by Abp. Timothy Dolan today could not make it any more clear that, at least on the issue of marriage, the bishops and the President hold opposing views: The announcement on February 23 that the President has instructed the Department of Justice to s... More

This was sent out by the USCCB’s pro-life office: The Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) welcomed the approval in committee of the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358). Sponsored by Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and 123 co-sponsors, the Protect Life Act would apply longstanding federal policies on abortion funding, and consci... More