Jun 29, 2020
The U.S. Supreme Court today in a 5-4 vote ruled against a Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform abortions in the state to have admitting privileges in nearby hospitals, four years after striking down an almost-identical Texas law. Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the four liberal-leaning justices in rebuffing the Louisiana law, pointing in a separate concurring opinion to the legal doctrine of stare decisis – the idea that courts should generally not overrule their rulings made in prior cases.
Jun 18, 2020
The U.S. Supreme Court today in a 5-4 vote ruled against the Trump administration’s decision to end a popular program safeguarding young, working undocumented immigrants from deportation, stating the 2017 rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was “arbitrary and capricious.” The USCCB welcomed the ruling and urged President Trump to maintain the program while also encouraging the U.S. Senate to immediately pass legislation providing a path to citizenship for Dreamers.
Jun 15, 2020
Danielle Brown of the USCCB talks about the 2018 pastoral letter against racism, "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love," against the backdrop of national protests over the death of George Floyd. Then, University of Notre Dame professor Daniel Philpott discusses the president's recent executive order on advancing international religious freedom. Next, Auxiliary Bishop Ron Hicks, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago, talks about reopening parishes for public Mass amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, Peter Newburn of the Diocese of Joliet offers highlights from Saturday's virtual rally for racial justice.
Jun 1, 2020
Several statements have been issued by bishops from across the country and Illinois on the death of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that have ensued. Floyd was an African-American resident of Minneapolis who died on Mon., May 25 while handcuffed and lying on a city street during an arrest made by Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer. Floyd was accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a market.
