The big news today surrounds the Leadership Conference of Women Religious issuing a statement in response to the Vatican's call for reform of the group nearly two months ago. As I wrote on our blog earlier today, the statment shows a concern not just for the nuns, but for the welfare of the entire church. One Cleveland priest takes a pull-no-punches look at the motivation behind the investigation of the LCWR.
Bad news on the economy today, as job growth greatly slowed during the month of May.
The ongoing sexual abuse trial in Philadelphia is now in the hands of the jury, as the entire church will be watching to see if a priest who failed to remove abusive clergy from ministry will be held accountable.
In New York, a poll shows 51 percent of the state's Catholics support the church's recent lawsuits against the federal government. A Notre Dame professor questions the bishops' intent in their ongoing battle for "religious liberty" in a New York Times opinion piece.
And a new lawsuit was launched in Pennsylvania by Catholics who feel the Affordable Care Act's requirement of contraception coverage is a violation of their rights. They are pretty surely not covered by the exemption for religious employers, because their business is a lumber company.
Today marks the release of "For Greater Glory," the Knights of Columbus-sponsored film about the Cristero War (which also led to a somewhat controversial cover of the Knights' Columbia magazine). Star Andy Garcia tells the AP that the movie isn't just for Catholics, but other critics call it "heavy-handed in its pro-Catholic point of view" and another calls it "a meandering, malnourished epic."
