OSV | OSV Newsweekly Related Articles religious freedom

Why you should pay attention to Clinton’s speech on gay rights

By Russell Shaw. What lies below surface is administration’s coercion on behalf of LGBT interests

Why do so many people hate the Catholic Church?

By Russell Shaw. The Church stands as the principal obstacle to social adoption of ‘all-but-conditional’ choice

Who's violating whose religious liberty rights?

By Brian Fraga. U.S. bishops have sounded the alarm about religious rights violations. But opponents push back

What will Egyptian regime change mean for Christians?

By Brian Fraga. Some fear rise of Islamist influence, which could lead to persecution of country’s Coptic community

What the State of the Union speech didn't say

By Russell Shaw. Activists and Catholics were disappointed president didn’t commit to promotion of religious freedoms.

Visit comes amid efforts to reform religious freedom

By Austen Ivereigh. Pope likely to stress benefits of Church having a public voice in society, especially in ending drug violence

Vietnam's Church makes inroads with state authorities

By Gerard O'Connell. But property disputes, such as last month's violent clash between Catholics and police, remain a stumbling block

Touching a raw nerve

By Teresa Tomeo. Unpleasant exchange with secular producer reveals bias against those with views that don’t match his

Time for our A game

By Greg Erlandson. In taking on the HHS regulations in an election year, Catholics need a better executed plan

The Times They Are A-Changing

By Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. (Subscription required)

Tale of Two Koreas

By Msgr. Owen F. Campion. Faith has flourished in the South, while the North’s repressive regime remains hostile to any religion

State Catholic conferences in religious liberty battles

By Scott Alessi. As national efforts increase, state Catholic conferences defend religious freedom at local level

Standing up for the Faith when it counts

By Russell Shaw. When we see with eyes of faith, we will recognize when it is time to summon fortitude and to fight for what we know to be true

Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate

By John Norton. Confused at all about the whole “contraception/sterilization mandate” or the bishops’ opposition to it?

Sex education in schools pits Church vs. government

By Tom Hoopes. U.N.-supported program will integrate teaching into multiple subjects in schools' curricula

Same-sex laws stifle Church

Experts at Marriage Law Project say any statute that makes it illegal for Catholics to adhere to their beliefs threatens religious freedom

Russell Shaw: Are social issues just a distraction to court?

By Russell Shaw. ‘Hot-button social issues’ such as abortion deserve to have a place on the Supreme Court’s agenda

Ruling: College discriminated against women by not covering birth control

By Valerie Schmalz. Belmont Abbey College could be test case of religious freedom in health care, education

Robert P. Lockwood: A Catholic Popeye moment

Catholics must fight hard against contraception mandate — and its laughable religious exemptions. Subscription required

'Remain with God'

By OSV staff. A pictorial essay of Pope Benedict XVI’s journey to Mexico and Cuba

Religious liberty advocates watch court case

By Brian Fraga. Experts weigh the impact on conscience protections if U.S. Supreme Court strikes down part or all of the health care law

Religious Freedom

By Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. Religious liberty has been eroding for years, but now the threats are immediate.

Pope starts 2011 with theme of religious freedom

By Austen ivereigh. Pontiff’s words met with fierce reaction from China and the Muslim world, even, surprisingly, Egypt. Subscription required

Pope plugs religious freedom efforts of U.S. Catholics

By John Norton. As the battle for religious freedom rights in the United States heats up, Pope Benedict XVI has offered it a boost of encouragement.

OSV letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor about the HHS mandate, parish life, and death penalty teaching

New tensions between bishops, White House

Ahead of elections, a sharp letter from the bishops’ president, and reminder to Catholics to engage

Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Living up to our Christian values

People’s religious convictions deserve respect, whether they are Catholic nuns or Muslim clerics. Subscription required

More Evidence of Difficult Times Ahead

By Father Benedict Groeschel. Our government has told us that we must ignore our deeply held religious convictions...

Mexican Church clashes with anti-Catholic politicians

By Alejandro Bermudez. Latest skirmish is an attempt by anti-Catholic party to declare the country a lay state in Constitution

Long-awaited test

By Russell Shaw. The Supreme Court’s ruling on ‘Obamacare’ has far-reaching impact for the Catholic Church, too

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor about Occupy Wall Street, flat tax, conscience protections and sportsmanship.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor about contraception mandate, religious freedom, Planned Parenthood and catechesis.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor about conscience protection,religious freedom, labor unions, and hell.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor about marriage, religious freedom, morning-after-pill, and families.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor about HHS mandate, religious freedom, Father John Hardon, and parish life.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor about organ donation, gun control, and religious freedom.

Jesus would fail HHS litmus test

By Sister Mary Ann Walsh. He helped anyone in need of help — an example Catholics follow to this day. Subscription required

Indian Christians live in fear a year after Orissa attacks

By Jyotsna Paul. Country's apathy earns it a place on U.S. religious freedom watch list

Home and away

By Greg Erlandson. Recent threats to religious liberty here raise awareness of the problem on the global level

Holiness and hippos

By Robert P. Lockwood. Christmas is a melting pot of sacred and secular; don’t fret about silly stuff stealing focus from Christ

Freedom to worship

By Russell Shaw. Why America should be pushing for international religious freedom, rather than dragging its feet

Fortnight spotlights importance of 'most cherished freedom'

By OSV staff. Events examining threats to religious freedom will take place at national, diocesan and parish levels

Faithful use prayer to battle HHS mandate

By Eddie O'Neill. Rosary novenas and rallies are among ways Catholic laypeople are campaigning to protect religious freedom from threats

Editorial: Viva la revolución

‘When the Church upholds this right to religious freedom, she is not claiming any special privileges for herself.’

Editorial: Unconscionable assault on religious freedom

We urge our readers — and everyone who values America’s founding principles — to demand protection for conscience rights.

Editorial: Reminding the president of his pledge

Obama pledged ‘to honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion’ and to craft ‘sensible’ conscience protections.

Editorial: Religious liberty alarms

The situation in Europe has become so worrisome that there are now organizations being formed to defend the faith in what once was the most Christian of continents.

Editorial: Religious freedom collision course

What is happening is an inevitable clash of different ‘rights.’

Editorial: Opportunity lost?

With Cardinal Timothy Dolan, our hope continues to be that the opportunity to back away from this Church-state confrontation will not be lost.

Editorial: Give us freedom

‘The administration’s failure to change course on this matter will precipitate a national conflict between Church and State of enormous proportions.’

Editorial: Forcing Catholics to violate their consciences

‘In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences.’

Editorial: First Amendment victory

Will the decision serve as a corrective to an executive branch that appears to have few scruples in interfering in religious affairs?

Editorial: Drawing a line in the sand on conscience

Catholic leaders are seething that private assurances of respect for conscience concerns were nothing more than empty words.

Editorial: Catholic contributions

Consider the massive positive impact Catholic American educational, health and social ministries are making today in communities across the country.

Editorial: A letter to President Obama on his second inauguration

We hope that in your second term you will take concrete steps to choose ‘unity of purpose over conflict and discord.’

Editorial: A clear violation of conscience rights

‘Could the government possibly intend to pressure Catholic institutions to cease providing health care, education and charitable services to the general public?’

Cross bolted to desert rock sparks church-state battle

This article has free access for all visitors. By Russell Shaw. U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on whether 75-year-old war memorial violates First Amendment

Contraception mandate could put Catholics in pinch

By Kevin Birnbaum. Narrowly worded religious exemption would likely not cover many Church-affiliated institutions

Christian woman's plight spurs calls to end blasphemy laws

By Kamran Chaudhry. Asia Bibi’s death sentence is part of larger persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan

China’s legacy of intimidating faithful

By Thomas J. Craughwell. As book shows, Chen’s case is just latest example of Communist Party’s tactics. Subscription required

Catholics seek new avenues in a secularized European Union

By Jonathan Luxmoore. Despite legal losses, Church supporters remain hopeful that anti-Christian agendas will not triumph

Catholic Journal: Fear and loathing

By Robert P. Lockwood. Those emotions seem to motivate The New York Times’ paranoid attitude when writing about faith

Catholic Charities decision an example of what happens when Church is backed into corner

By Robert P. Lockwood. How the Washington, D.C., city council put an ideological agenda ahead of service to the poor

Catholic agencies rush to help Pakistani flood victims

This article has free access for all visitors. By Gerard O'Connell. With an area the size of Great Britain submerged, 18 million people need food, shelter, clean water

Both sides see 2012 election as defining event

By Russell Shaw. Unusually, the differences are less in view of role of government, and more where priorities ought to lay

Believers and Patriots

By Stephanie A. Mann. What is colonial Maryland’s legacy of religious freedom? (Subscription required)

Beauty mistreatments

By Teresa Tomeo. TV attack on Miss California for her beliefs on marriage ruin columnist's salon appointment

Are we seeing the beginning of religious persecution in America?

By Russell Shaw. Catholic Church agencies are closing their doors under new laws, policies gutting conscience rights

Amid unrest, Syria’s Christians fear for future

By Andrea Kirk Assaf. Their religious freedoms could dissolve if current regime is overthrown by Sunni Muslim majority

A Basic Part of the Mission

By Matthew Bunson. And so we head into the 2012 election. (Subscription required)

2011: A year of protests

By Mark Shea. Are we better or worse off than we were this time last year? Here’s an answer informed by perennial Catholic wisdom