1. How the lawyers plan to stifle speech and faith, The American Bar Association’s new code must be rejected, By Edwin Meese III and Kelly J. Shackelford. The Washington Times, August 18, 2016, Pg. B1.

Last week the American Bar Association (ABA) changed its model ethics rules for lawyers, prohibiting attorneys from engaging in speech or being a member of any organization — even churches — that holds traditional views on marriage, sexuality and other issues. It now goes to each state’s courts for consideration, which must emphatically reject Model Rule 8.4 as an unprecedented threat to religious liberty, both for attorneys and their clients.

The ABA adopted Model Rule 8.4, which makes it unethical — and thus something for which a lawyer could lose his or her license to practice law — to “discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or socioeconomic status in conduct related to the practice of law.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/17/how-the-lawyers-plan-to-stifle-speech-and-faith/


2. Pope Francis issues marching orders for new pro-life leader, By Crux Staff. Crux, August 18, 2016.

Though for Americans it may be overshadowed by the appointment of Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell to run the Vatican’s new mega-department for laity, family and life issues, Pope Francis made another key personnel move Wednesday by tapping Italian Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia as head of two bodies devoted to the pro-life cause.

Paglia was put in charge of both the Pontifical Academy for Life, and the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. Both are considered primary Vatican agencies for engaging what Americans know as the “life issues,” including abortion, contraception and euthanasia.

The choice of Paglia, therefore,  offers an important signal about how Pope Francis wants the Church’s pro-life activity to develop.

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2016/08/18/pope-issues-marching-orders-new-pro-life-leader/


3. Pope outlines vision for promoting life, family issues, By Nicole Winfield. Associated Press, August 17, 2016, 5:47 PM.

Pope Francis on Wednesday outlined his vision for how the Vatican will promote family and life issues, naming an American moderate to head the new Vatican office for families and laity and directing related institutes to give merciful care to spiritually wounded Catholics. 

Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell, a former Legion of Christ priest whose brother is also a top Vatican official, now becomes the highest-ranking American at the Holy See.

Francis appointed the Irish-born Farrell on Wednesday as he formally created the new Dicastery for the Laity, Families and Life, which combines several Vatican offices into one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pope-taps-american-to-head-new-vatican-office-for-families/2016/08/17/bebd7dee-646b-11e6-b4d8-33e931b5a26d_story.html


4. Why 9NEWS uses the words assisted ‘suicide’, By Brandon Rittiman. 9News, August 17, 2016, 3:13 PM.

This November, you’re going to get to vote on an assisted suicide law in Colorado.

Supporters of that law have asked 9NEWS not to call it assisted “suicide.” They’d rather we call it “medical aid in dying.” 

What follows is our explanation of why we are not going to grant that request: 

First off, 9NEWS has no position on this ballot question. Nor do we take the issue lightly.

We have a duty to tell you about it in simple, direct language. That’s why we’re not going to stop using the word “suicide.”

http://www.9news.com/news/local/why-9news-wont-stop-saying-assisted-suicide/300870445