Daily Links, Feb. 3: Decisions, changed and contested

In big news today, the Komen foundation has gone back on its decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. “We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” said Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s chief executive. Komen has said that it will continue to fund existing grants and preserve Planned Parenthood’s eligibility to apply for future grants, though they made no promise of accepting these grants.

In another instance of reversing decisions, Saint Joseph’s University reversed an initial decision to deny a same-sex couple from entering a Valentine’s Day contest. “Saint Joseph’s University fully supports and is in agreement with the Catholic Church’s teachings regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage,” the university said after allowing the couple to enter. “As a Catholic, Jesuit university, Saint Joseph’s is a welcoming, inclusive community. Our focus is on respect and caring for all individuals as individuals.”

Onto another favorite topic of conversation in Catholic circles: the HHS mandate. Here, Bryan Cones asks if this issue will trump the economy for Catholic voters. At CNN, Steven Prothero notes the importance of distinguishing between lay Catholics and Catholic leadership on the issue. And, for people wondering what exactly the mandate stipulates, the White House offers up some facts about the law to help clear up confusion.

Watching the Super Bowl this weekend? Read about some work being done by women religious to help stop human trafficking in and around Indianapolis this weekend.

Will Mitt Romney’s recent comments about his lack of concern for the very poor hurt his chances with low-income Republican voters? Numbers suggest a cause for concern for Romney. And, news about the safety net: a recent study has shown that food stamps can’t sustain a healthy diet.