Blog Posts


US Bishops Call for Urgent Action on Threats to Conscience Protection

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched a national program aimed at encouraging the faithful to take a stand against a recent decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to require all private health plans to include coverage for contraception, sterilization, and related "patient education and counseling" services for women.

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Pope's Visit to Germany Expected to be "Difficult"

Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist When Pope Benedict XVI steps off a plane in his native Germany tomorrow morning, he will be embarking on what many say will be a difficult four-day visit to a land where Catholic teaching is mostly opposed or at least ignored and militant groups are planning large boycotts and protests.

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Vatican Accused in International Criminal Court

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

Even though they admit to having little hope of success, a group of victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests have filed a complaint against the pope, the Vatican's secretary of state and two other high-ranking Holy See officials with the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing them of committing crimes against humanity.

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Altar Girl Decision Sparks Controversy

Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

A decision by the rector of S.S. Simon and Jude Cathedral in the Diocese of Phoenix to restrict altar servers to boys in order to encourage vocations is drawing flak from the usual dissenting groups within the Church and the print publications that give them way too much ink.

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Should U.S. Catholics Return to Meatless Fridays?

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Reflecting on a recent ruling by the bishops of England to reintroduce the discipline of abstinence from meat on Fridays, New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan thinks American Catholics should consider doing the same in order to restore some of our lost Catholic identity.

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