President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose outside the St. John Paul II National Shrine June 2 in Washington, the 41st anniversary of beginning of pope's 1979 historic visit to Poland. (CNS/Reuters/Tom Brenner)
Catholic activists protest Trump's visit to St. John Paul II Shrine
When wedding vows conflict with the Catholic workplace
Allegations of discrimination against LGBT employees, though not new, still remain an issue in Catholic schools and universities. A recent spate of firings has brought the issue into focus as members of the LGBT community have become more visible and the advent of marriage equality in the United States has made their identity more evident, say advocates.
In the United States, around 4.5% of the population identifies as LGBT — an estimated 11 million people. Among them 88% are employed, according to a recent report by MAP and LGBTQ Workers Center. However, advocates say that a worrying wave of religious exemptions to anti-discrimination laws have left many LGBT employees vulnerable.
Catholic institutions, while affirming of LGBT members, seem to draw a line when it comes to marriage.
Vigil draws attention to class action suit on behalf of detained immigrants
Health cost sharing ministries leave many out in the cold, critics say
Ohio teacher in same-sex marriage loses Catholic high school job
A Catholic high school in Kettering, Ohio, did not renew the contract of a longtime English teacher, after the status of his same-sex marriage came to light.
James Zimmerman, an English teacher of 23 years at Archbishop Alter High School, was told by his principal that the Cincinnati Archdiocese made the decision after an anonymous tip-off.
Advocates urge federal authorities to release detained immigrants amid coronavirus spread
Virus forces Catholic agencies to scale back services for the homeless
Priest chaplain at Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse had abuse record
Fr. J. Irvin Mouser, a priest from the Archdiocese of Louisville, was removed from public ministry in 2002 on charges of child sex abuse. He is accused of abusing five boys during his time as a priest at the parishes of St. Helen in Barren County and St. Francis of Assisi in Jefferson County. The Holy See directed Mouser to live a life of "prayer and penance" — he was not to serve in any active ministry as priest, celebrate Mass publicly or don clerical garb.
But Mouser did all of that while living in Loretto, where he served as chaplain to the Sisters of Loretto. There he was also in close proximity to children, since students from a nearby high school and young children would often visit the motherhouse and the adjoining farm.
