Kevin J. Jones, Author at Crux

Newark archdiocese defends welcoming of LGBT pilgrimage

“I am your brother, as a sinner who finds mercy with the Lord,” Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark told a group of LGBT pilgrims visiting the archdiocese. After some media coverage skewed the story as a shift within the Catholic Church, Tobin stressed the importance of welcoming people into the faith.

Religious Freedom advocates praise Denmark’s repeal of blasphemy law

An anti-blasphemy law, which had almost never been used in the last 46 years, was repealed by the Danish parliament. Advocates for religious freedom have expressed support for the decision since blasphemy laws are often used against dissenters and critics of dominant religious and political views.

These monks in Ireland spend their lives praying for priests

Ireland has been hard hit by scandals involving the sins of priests in recent years, but it’s also home to a new Benedictine priory with a commitment to prayer for the sanctification of priests, rooted in St. Benedict’s example of adaptation to changing circumstances.

Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school
- Catholic News Agency, Church in the US
- March 5, 2017
Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools.
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Citing pro-life momentum, thousands demonstrate to defund Planned Parenthood
- Catholic News Agency, Church in the US
- February 16, 2017
Up to 10,000 pro-life advocates gathered at some 227 protest locations in 43 states and the District of Columbia on Saturday to call for the defunding of Planned Parenthood. “We have momentum on our side,” says Mark Harrington of the pro-life group Created Equal. “Now is the time to press forward.”
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Boy Scouts accept gender identity as new standard for admission
- Catholic News Agency, Church in the US
- February 1, 2017
The Boy Scouts of America have said self-declared gender identity will determine youth eligibility for its scouting programs. Catholic sponsors of scout troops look for alternatives due to the legal risks and the moral confusion the leadership policy of the Boy Scouts could cause for Catholics.
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