Five Things Catholics Need to Know Today


1. The decision by the Supreme Court Nov. 26 to direct the Fourth Circuit to hear Liberty University’s appeal from the dismissal of its lawsuit is the right one. There is a serious impact on religious freedom when the government can coerce a religious organization to provide sterilization and contraception, including abortion-inducing contraceptives, when these directly violate the beliefs of the religious group. The courts must consider how this impacts freedom of religion and whether it violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

2. Christmas time might find some parish seminarians helping in their home parish. There are 5,015 seminarians enrolled in the United States, 3,346 enrolled in diocesan seminaries and 1,669 enrolled in religious-order seminaries.

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