In a neck-and-neck race for the presidency, unique and unpredictable religious issues may produce subtle but significant shifts that could play a role in deciding the election between President Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Most important are evangelical Christians, one of the most powerful and reliable voting blocs in the Republican party. Many Read more
Posts Tagged ‘USA’
Nuns hit back over Vatican reprimand
Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
The leader of a group of US nuns criticised by the Vatican last week is hitting back. Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, insists the group would continue “caring for the least among us on the margins of society.” Campbell said that Network, which works with the LCWR and vocally Read more
Scripture well respected in America
Friday, April 20th, 2012A recent poll reports that 82% of American hold the Bible to be sacred literature, followed by the Qur’an at 10%, the Torah at 6% and the Book of Mormon at 6%. More than two-thirds (68%) of all adults surveyed and 75% of respondents age 66 and up agree that the Bible contains everything a Read more
US report warns of child protection complacency
Friday, April 13th, 2012
A finding from the annual child safety compliance plan of the US Conference of Catholic bishops warns of a “growing complacency” about child protection. The report mentions around 30 dioceses as failing to provide safe environment training for all children in parishes or schools. The auditors said several dioceses assumed that the children had undergone the training Read more
Vocations: younger and more educated Religious take vows
Friday, April 13th, 2012
A recent US study of those who took their perpetual vows in 2011 shows that new religious are younger and more educated than in the past. “We are encouraged by the report’s findings that men and women are considering a vocation at a younger age,” said Mercy Sister Mary Joanna Ruhland, associate director of the Read more
Opportunity lost for sexual abuse claims
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012
California’s highest court has told six brothers they had waited too long to bring sexual abuse claims against a priest whom they allege molested them during the 1970’s. The opportunity to bring the claims was given during in 2003 when a one-year window for old complaints against priests was granted by the state. The court Read more
Tens of thousands rally for religious freedom in 143 US cities
Friday, March 30th, 2012After drawing 54,000 people to 143 nationwide protests, leaders of the Stand Up For Religious Freedom campaign are more determined than ever to end the federal contraception mandate.
“From coast to coast, the response of the crowds at these rallies was a tremendous optimism that we can change the HHS mandate,” said Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler, who planned the March 23 “Rally for Religious Freedom” with Citizens for a Pro-Life Society.
“People came out for the very first time in their lives, to any sort of grassroots protest activity,” Scheidler said of Stand Up For Religious Freedom’s first effort.
“That happened in Chicago. It happened in San Francisco, in Washington, D.C., in New York, Philadelphia, and other large cities.”
Each of those cities drew between 900 and 2,500 people, united in their desire to restore religious freedom by ending the president’s contraception coverage rule.
Read the article...Poll: Too much religion in politics
Tuesday, March 27th, 2012
A new survey by the Pew Research Centre says nearly 40% Americans say politicians talk too much about religious faith. The survey indicated people are of the view the import of religion in politics is a reasonably recent occurrence, with Democrats and independents being the main culprits. However, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll released last Read more
Santorum frustrated by lack of Catholic support
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
Despite positioning himself as the leading religious Republican candidate, known to be a daily Mass-goer, Catholic Rick Santorum has failed to win the Catholic vote in any state. Instead, he has performed will among the evangelical Christian voters. Santorum, who has spoken spoken with a conservative voice on social issues, a man who seeks prayers Read more
Priest hits back over suspension for denying lesbian Communion
Friday, March 16th, 2012
A Washington priest who denied a Lesbian the opportunity of Holy Communion at her mother’s funeral, says his suspension has “everything to do” with his decision to deny Barbara Johnson Communion. According to the Washington Post, when Johnson approached Fr Marcel Guarnizo for Communion, Guarnizo put his hand over the Host and said, “I can’t give you Read more