WASHINGTON – A Catholic labor leader, a baseball Hall of Famer and a member of the Kennedy clan were among those who received the Medal of Freedom in White House ceremonies Feb. 15. The Medal of Freedom is considered the nation’s highest civilian honor.Read More

DUBLIN – In an election campaign document, Ireland’s Labor Party pledged to introduce legislation legalizing abortion if the party rises to power.Read More

NAIROBI, Kenya – For several of the cloistered Carmelite Sisters at Mount Carmel Convent, their life of prayer began in their families, when they were children.Read More

WASHINGTON – In mixed rulings on parishioners’ appeals of parish closings in three U.S. dioceses, the Vatican Congregation for Clergy upheld parish mergers, but in some cases said the church buildings that were closed must be reopened and “used in some manner as determined by the bishop.”Read More

On a 7-4 vote, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee agreed to send a bill legalizing same-sex marriage to the Senate floor. The full chamber is expected to debate the measure the week of Feb. 21, with the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) projecting a final vote to take place Feb. 28.Read More

WASHINGTON – The federal budget crunch should not be eased by cutting programs that help the poor, refugees and the unemployed in the United States or those struggling to survive in developing nations, warned church leaders in letters to Congress and responses to President Barack Obama’s budget proposal.Read More

HOUSTON – Religious leaders, including Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, brought personal testimony and the beliefs common to their faiths to a recent dialogue on the death penalty.Read More

VATICAN CITY – Seafarers worldwide have always faced a difficult life marked by long periods away from loved ones, but increased globalization has given rise to new challenges, including difficulty with communication and human trafficking.Read More