1. Maryland taps Affordable Care Act fund to help pay for abortion care, By Scott Maucione, NPR, July 17, 2025, 5:00 AM
Maryland has become the first state to use a little-known Affordable Care Act fund—built from insurer-paid fees—to help abortion funds cover travel, lodging, and care expenses for out-of-state and low-income patients, in response to rising demand after Roe v. Wade was overturned. With abortion restricted or illegal in 22 states, clinics in Maryland have seen a sharp increase in patients, many of whom rely on nonprofit abortion funds that are now overwhelmed and financially strained. Maryland’s new law allows the state to allocate up to $2.5 million per year from a $25 million ACA account to support these efforts, offering a potential model for other states facing similar post-Roe challenges.
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/07/17/nx-s1-5459881/maryland-abortion-fund-affordable-care-act
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2. Abortions in Ireland up 300% since 2018 referendum, By Patrick J. Passmore, Catholic News Agency, July 17, 2025, 6:00 AM
Ireland recorded 10,852 abortions in 2024 — the highest since legal access began in 2019 — prompting concern from pro-life advocates who say the reality starkly contrasts promises made during the 2018 referendum that abortion would be “rare.” Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy and Iona Institute’s David Quinn argue that the rise to 1 in 6 pregnancies ending in abortion highlights the failure of public messaging and legislative safeguards, and they are calling for urgent dialogue with government officials. They also criticize the lack of media coverage and comprehensive support for women with unplanned pregnancies, warning that Ireland is following Britain’s trajectory of rising abortion rates.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265367/abortions-in-ireland-up-300-percent-since-2018-referendum
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3. Israel strikes the Gaza church the pope used to call nightly, killing 2, The Rev. Gabriel Romanelli of the Church of the Holy Family used to speak every night with Pope Francis before the pontiff’s death., By Stefano Pitrelli, Claire Parker, Mohamad El Chamaa and Siham Shamalakh, The Washington Post, July 17, 2025
An Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church, the Holy Family Church, killed two Orthodox Christians and injured several others, including the parish priest, prompting condemnation from religious leaders and international officials. The church, a refuge for hundreds of displaced civilians during the war, suffered significant damage despite its GPS coordinates having been provided to the Israeli military early in the conflict. The Vatican, Catholic aid groups, and Italian leaders denounced the attack, while the Israeli military stated it was investigating the incident and emphasized its commitment to minimizing harm to civilians and religious sites.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/07/17/gaza-catholic-church-holy-family-strike/
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4. Congress targeted Planned Parenthood for defunding, but also caught a Maine health care provider, Planned Parenthood isn’t the only abortion provider that stands to lose Medicaid payments under a budget plan signed by President Donald Trump, By Patrick Whittle and Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press, August 16, 2025, 12:48 PM
A provision in a new Republican-backed tax and policy bill aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood by blocking Medicaid reimbursements has also impacted Maine Family Planning, the only other publicly identified provider affected, prompting the group to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The Maine-based nonprofit, which serves many rural and low-income patients with a range of health services beyond abortion, says it could lose about a quarter of its budget and may only be able to operate without Medicaid reimbursement until October. Advocates argue the law unfairly targets organizations offering abortion services, despite federal funds not covering abortions, and creates serious barriers to healthcare access in underserved areas like rural Maine.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2025/07/16/abortion-provider-defunding-maine-planned-parenthood/d95c57da-6257-11f0-bf70-56d8888ebb94_story.html
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5. Australian bishops call on government to enforce country’s surrogacy ban, By Madalaine Elhabbal, Catholic News Agency, July 16, 2025, 12:05 PM
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has called on the Australian Law Reform Commission to ban all forms of surrogacy, including altruistic arrangements, arguing that the practice commodifies children and exploits women. In a detailed letter, the bishops emphasize that surrogacy undermines human dignity, reduces motherhood to a contractual service, and causes emotional harm to surrogate mothers, citing testimonies from women who have experienced lasting trauma. They warn that current laws fail to protect vulnerable parties and criticize the commission’s review for appearing to prioritize easier access over safeguarding the rights and well-being of women and children.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265375/australian-bishops-call-on-government-to-enforce-country-s-surrogacy-ban
__________________________________________________________TCA Media Monitoring provides a snapshot from national newspapers and major Catholic press outlets of coverage regarding significant Catholic Church news and current issues with which the Catholic Church is traditionally or prominently engaged. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of The Catholic Association.
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