Archdiocese of Philadelphia Archives

Supreme Court’s recent decision an endorsement of religious social services, experts say

Jun 23, 2021

Some are heralding a unanimous Supreme Court decision that upholds the ability of a faith-based foster care agency to operate according to its faith as a statement from the nation’s highest court of its commitment to religious liberty.

By John Lavenburg

Ruling seen as victory for children, foster parents and religious liberty

Jun 20, 2021

Faith-based and other agencies across the country may not be forced by a government agency to violate their deeply held beliefs against placing children in households led by same-sex or cohabitating adults.

By Matthew Gambino

Philadelphia foster parents welcome U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling

Jun 19, 2021

Foster parents for Catholic Social Services of the Philadelphia Archdiocese said the Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision June 17 on faith-based child welfare agencies comes as a relief.

By Gina Christian

Court: If bias rules have exceptions, faith groups qualify

Jun 18, 2021

Governmental entities are now on notice that if they want to ban discrimination against LGBTQ persons or anyone else, they must not allow for any exceptions, or else religious groups will have the right to ask for them and they’ll have a strong case for getting them.

By Peter Smith

Supreme Court rules in favor of Catholic agency in foster case

Jun 17, 2021

In a unanimous decision June 17, the Supreme Court said that a Catholic social service agency should not have been excluded from Philadelphia’s foster care program because it did not accept same-sex couples as foster parents.

By Carol Zimmermann

Officials say arson caused fire that destroyed landmark Catholic church

May 15, 2021

Federal investigators have ruled arson was the cause of a blaze that destroyed a Catholic church once considered the heart of Northeast Philadelphia’s historic Tacony neighborhood.

By Gina Christian

Fire destroys landmark church in historic Philadelphia neighborhood

May 11, 2021

Catholic residents of a Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood are mourning the loss of a landmark church.

By Gina Christian

Philadelphia priests look for ways to stop city’s gun violence

Apr 28, 2021

Philadelphia’s soaring rates of homicide and gun violence have deep-rooted causes that can only be solved with a combination of spirituality and concrete action, said several Philadelphia priests.

By Gina Christian