Clerical kidnappings, elections, and COVID dominate Catholic news in Americas
- Apr 13, 2021
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Friday signed into law legislation allowing doctors to refuse to treat someone because of religious or moral objections, a move opponents have said will give providers broad powers to turn away LGBTQ patients and others.
Two U.S. bishop’s committee said Dec. 17 they “strongly commend” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services taking “corrective action” against a Vermont medical center and the state of California for violating federal conscience protection laws when it comes to abortion.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against the University of Vermont Medical Center alleging it forces staff members who object to abortion on religious grounds to participate in abortion procedures.
An omnibus appropriations bill approved by the House July 31 to fund a dozen federal departments and agencies blocks a conscience protection rule for health care providers who do not want to participate in abortion, sterilization or assisted suicide on religious or moral grounds.
Religions for Peace, a coalition representing millions of believers, convened over 250 global religious peace-builders in New York to set priorities for addressing challenges faced by communities the world over, ranging from peace and security issues to environmental degradation and climate change to “freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”
The Indiana Senate has approved legislation allowing nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists to object on religious or other grounds to having any role in an abortion.
A bill in the British Parliament would clarify the rights of conscientious objection for medical professionals, protecting them from participating in medical procedures to which their beliefs are opposed.
A new division at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will work to ensure the protection of religious freedom and conscience rights for Americans, government officials announced Thursday.