Daily Links, March 14: Pi Day, re-strategerizing, Catholic art

Get thee to your local pie purveyor, people. It’s Pi Day! [1]

Chicago Cardinal Francis George was on Chicago NPR affiliate WBEZ [2] yesterday talking about, what else, the contraception mandate. He echoes some of the same rhetoric espoused by conservative opposition to the mandate: This country already has access to free/cheap birth control, via women’s clinics like those run by Planned Parenthood, so why should the Catholic Church have to provide access to its employees? It’s a fair point, but what about all the lobbying by conservatives to cut off funding for these clinics?

The bishops are hoping to restart talks [3] with the White House about the mandate, but are refocusing their opposition. [4] The public remains relatively split on whether employers should have to provide coverage for things they oppose on moral grounds, with a slim majority (51 percent) [5] in favor of dropping the mandate.

Vox Nova meditates on what a fully Catholic country [6] would look like, while Catholic convert and former English PM Tony Blair says he supports same-sex marriage in his country [7]. The church is pushing back [8]. Obvs.

Via America Magazine [7], here’s a great photo essay [9] about Catholic art in Los Angeles.

Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega got to address his country about the impending papal visit to Cuba [10]. Such a televised speech by a religious leader is rare in the communist country.

And finally, a former Goldman Sachs executive opines in the Times [11] on why he’s leaving the investment bank: moral bankruptcy.