TCA Podcast, – “Conversations with Consequences,” Episode 217 – Haley Mcnamara on Instagram’s Ills & TCA Team Celebrates Father’s Day! With a shocking expose on Instagram published in the Wall Street Journal, Haley McNamara of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation joins to discuss how children are being targeted with offensive and vulgar content–and why social media platforms should be held accountable. As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, the TCA team discusses the true essence of fatherhood and why strong, virtuous men are needed now more than ever. We also remember our spiritual fathers ahead of a beautiful homily by Father Roger Landry reflecting on this Sunday’s Gospel. Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio! https://thecatholicassociation.org/podcast/ep-217-haley-mcnamara-on-instagrams-ills-tca-team-celebrates-fathers-day/__________________________________________________________ 1. Pope Francis leaves Rome hospital 9 days after operation; surgeon says ‘he’s better than before’, By Frances D’Emilio, Associated Press, June 16, 2023, 7:24 AM Pope Francis on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had abdominal surgery nine days earlier to repair a hernia and remove painful scarring, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization. … https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/16/pope-francis-leaves-hospital-rome-italy/13d01e04-0c12-11ee-8132-a84600f3bb9b_story.html __________________________________________________________ 2. Franciscan chaplains return to Walter Reed hospital, ending two-month contracting dispute, Defense Health Agency had awarded deal to secular firm that couldn’t hire Catholic priests as chaplains, By Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times, June 16, 2023, Pg. A10 A two-month impasse over providing Catholic chaplain services to patients and staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center ended Wednesday, the Archdiocese for the Military Services said. Franciscan priests and friars of the Holy Name College Friary in Silver Spring, Maryland, returned to the facility under a new, five-year contract, the archdiocese said. A 20-year contracting relationship with the Franciscans abruptly ended on March 31, when the Defense Health Agency awarded the contract for Catholic chaplain services to a secular firm. Critics said the contract awarded to Mack Global LLC, a company in Richmond, was invalid because Catholic priests serving as chaplains must work for a bishop, not a private organization. … https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jun/15/franciscan-chaplains-return-walter-reed-hospital-e/ __________________________________________________________ 3. Alabama, Texas, best states for religious nonprofits, Maryland next-to-last, study finds, Groups provide 40% of social safety-net spending, get 28% of charitable giving, By Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times, June 16, 2023, Pg. A6 Alabama and Texas offer the most faith-friendly regulatory environments in the nation for religious nonprofits, while Maryland and Virginia rank near the bottom, according to a new study. The Napa Legal Institute, a D.C.-based nonprofit, on Wednesday unveiled its “Faith and Freedom Index,” which measures the “friendliness” of state regulation and tax policy as applied to faith-oriented nonprofits. The group said that scores for religious freedom and regulatory freedom in each state are combined to yield an overall total. Faith-based nonprofits received 28% of charitable donations in 2020, or $131 billion in funding, according to the GivingUSA 2021 report. … https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jun/14/alabama-texas-best-states-religious-nonprofits-mar/ __________________________________________________________ 4. US bishops’ new leader blasts Dodgers for honoring faux ‘queer and trans nuns’, By John Lavenburg, Crux, June 16, 2023 Encouraging Catholics to be “slaves to the truth,” Archbishop Timothy Broglio delivered his first address as the new leader of the US bishops on Thursday, touching on immigration reform, support for Haiti and Ukraine, and what he called the “disrespect for the truth and traditions” of the faith by a group the Los Angeles Dodgers will honor Friday night. Broglio, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, made the comments in first address as U.S. Bishops’ Conference president at the spring general assembly. He also applauded the fruits of the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival, and Pope Francis’s global Synod on Synodality. … https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2023/06/us-bishops-new-leader-blasts-dodgers-for-honoring-faux-queer-and-trans-nuns __________________________________________________________ 5. A nun commends Dodgers’ handling of Pride Night controversy; some archbishops call it blasphemy, By David Crary, Associated Press, June 16, 2023, 6:00 AM Devout baseball fans might view their teams’ performance as heavenly or hellish, depending on the quality of play. Currently, it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers’ handling of their annual Pride Night — not the team’s record — that has provoked emotional reactions from religious people, including prominent faith leaders, Catholic nuns, and even the team’s All-Star ace. Indeed, three high-ranking U.S. Catholic leaders this week suggested the team had committed blasphemy. The Dodgers have been holding Pride Nights for 10 years, but this year’s edition — taking place Friday night — became entangled last month in a high-profile controversy. Under a barrage of criticism from some conservative Catholics, the team rescinded an invitation to a satirical LGBTQ+ group called the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to be honored at Pride Night. The Sisters’ performers — mostly men who dress flamboyantly as nuns — are active in protests and charitable programs. … Although official Catholic teaching opposes same-sex marriage and same-sex sexual activity, there are many Catholics who want the church to be more inclusive toward LGBTQ+ people. Among them are nuns in the U.S. who have ministered empathetically to LGBTQ+ Catholics, and took note when the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence made news last month.One of them, Sister Jeannine Gramick, has ministered to LGBTQ+ Catholics for more than 50 years and is a co-founder of New Ways Ministry, which advocates on their behalf. She publicly shared a letter she wrote to the Dodgers, welcoming their re-invitation to the drag group and saying its members deserved recognition for their charity work. “While I am uncomfortable with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence using the nuns’ old garb to draw attention to bigotry, whether Catholic or not, there is a hierarchy of values in this situation,” Gramick wrote. … https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mlb/2023/06/16/baseball-religion-pride-night-catholic-nuns-lgbtq/ab22e5e2-0c2c-11ee-8132-a84600f3bb9b_story.html __________________________________________________________ 6. Pope sends Benedict XVI’s former aide back to Germany in latest sign of falling out, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, June 15, 2023, 7:58 AM Pope Francis has fired the longtime aide to the late Pope Benedict XVI from his Vatican job and ordered him to return to his native Germany, the final chapter in a very public falling out that culminated with the aide’s tell-all memoir that was highly critical of Francis. The Vatican confirmed that Archbishop Georg Gaenswein had officially ended his job as prefect of the papal household as of Feb. 28. A statement issued Thursday while Francis was in the hospital recovering from abdominal surgery said the pope had ordered Gaenswein to return to Freiburg, Germany, his diocese of origin, by July 1. While all papal secretaries usually return to their dioceses of origin following the death of the pope they served, the Vatican’s announcement betrayed some of the ill-will that had developed between Francis and Gaenswein. Francis gave Gaenswein no new assignment, and at 66, he is nearly a decade too young to retire. … https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/15/pope-benedict-francis-secretary/edf86c2a-0b73-11ee-8132-a84600f3bb9b_story.html__________________________________________________________ 7. Catholic bishops’ president calls for better border management, continued care for immigrants, By Peter Smith, Associated Press, June 15, 2023, 2:58 PM The leader of the nation’s Catholic bishops weighed in on ongoing immigration issues Thursday, calling for effective border management while emphasizing the church’s need to help migrants — and questioning political leaders who are transporting them to faraway states. “We strive to encourage those well-intentioned lawmakers who are seeking to enact effective and humane border management as part of a framework of comprehensive immigration reforms,” said Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in an address at the start of the bishops’ spring gathering. He called on fellow Catholics to continue aid to immigrants. “We cannot fail to see the face of Christ in all of those who need our assistance, especially the poor and the vulnerable,” said Broglio, who heads the Archdiocese for the Military Services. “I know that this can put us at odds with certain groups or those who fear immigration. But our commitment is to the … dignity of the human person from conception to natural death.” … https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/06/15/catholic-bishops-usccb-meeting-immigration-border-issues/9a2f3912-0bae-11ee-8132-a84600f3bb9b_story.html __________________________________________________________ 8. Documents show how conservative doctors influenced abortion, trans rights, By Lauren Weber, Caitlin Gilbert and Taylor Lorenz, The Washington Post, June 15, 2023, 6:00 AM, Opinion A small group of conservative doctors has sought to shape the nation’s most contentious policies on abortion and transgender rights by promoting views rejected by the medical establishment as scientific fact, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post that describe the group’s internal strategies. The records show that after long struggling to attract members, the American College of Pediatricians gained outsize political influence in recent years, primarily by using conservative media as a megaphone in its quest to position the group as a reputable source of information. The organization has successfully lobbied since 2021 for laws in more than a half-dozen states that ban gender-affirming care for transgender youths, with its representatives testifying before state legislatures against the guidelines recommended by mainstream medical groups, according to its records. It gained further national prominence this year as one of the plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit to limit access to mifepristone, a key abortion drug. Despite efforts to invoke the credibility of the medical profession, the American College of Pediatricians is viewed with skepticism by the medical establishment. For years, the group has presented statistics and talking points to state legislators, public school officials and the American public as settled science while internal documents emphasize how religion and morality influence its positions. Meeting minutes from 2021 describe how the organization worked with religious groups to “affect the idea makers through the high courts, professional literature, and legislatures.” … https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/06/15/abortion-transgender-christian-doctors/ __________________________________________________________ 9. Religious Charter Schools Are OK in Oklahoma, St. Isidore’s approval is a win for authentic educational pluralism and faithful practice., By Nicole Stelle Garnett, The Wall Street Journal, June 15, 2023, 3:33 PM, Opinion Supporters of educational choice and religious liberty had cause for celebration on June 5, when the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board approved the initial application for the nation’s first religious charter school. St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, a joint venture of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa dioceses, will serve students statewide with the goal of bringing high-quality Catholic education to those who need it most. As the state’s bishops explained after the vote, the school will “be founded in the Catholic intellectual tradition of excellence” and “provide innovative educational options for underserved populations,” including students in rural areas, Hispanic and Native communities, and those with “special educational needs.” That sounds promising—unless you oppose educational freedom or maintain antiquated views of the First Amendment.  … Recent events in Oklahoma have begun a nationwide debate about the constitutionality of state charter-school laws that target religious institutions for exclusion. The board’s approval of St. Isidore marks a turning point in American education policy—one that embraces authentic pluralism, rejects religious discrimination, and extends the gift of high-quality education to more kids. Ms. Garnett is a law professor at the University of Notre Dame. https://www.wsj.com/articles/religious-charters-are-ok-in-oklahoma-st-isidore-church-state-free-exercise-649d6af5 __________________________________________________________ 10. Bishops could vote to ban transgender procedures at Catholic hospitals: ‘Respect for human dignity’, Bishops previously released statement warning about ‘technological manipulation of the human body’, By Jon Brown, Fox News, June 15, 2023, 2:03 PM Roman Catholic bishops in the U.S. are slated to vote this week on issuing guidance to Catholic hospitals that would prohibit transgender surgeries and puberty-blocking drugs. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is scheduled to vote on the contentious issue during their annual 2023 Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, according to the National Catholic Reporter. The measure, if approved, would allow the bishop’s doctrine committee to revise the Religious and Ethical Directives for Catholic Health Care, which serves as “authoritative guidance on certain moral issues that face Catholic health care today.” … https://www.foxnews.com/us/bishops-could-vote-ban-transgender-procedures-catholic-hospitals-respect-human-dignity __________________________________________________________ 11. U.S. bishops urge Congress to make housing affordable, By Tyler Arnold, Catholic News Agency, June 15, 2023, 10:20 AM The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging Congress to support affordable housing measures as high rates of inflation continue to cause increasing housing and rent costs for American families. Archbishop Borys Gudziak, who serves as the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, sent a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership, which outlined the USCCB’s policies. The letter was also signed by Catholic Charities USA Vice President of Government Relations Anthony Granado. “Robust investments in federal housing programs equip families and communities with the resources they need to thrive,” the letter reads. “… A just framework for future budgets cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor and other vulnerable persons. It requires shared sacrifice by all, including raising adequate revenues, eliminating unnecessary spending, and addressing the long-term costs of health insurance and retirement programs fairly.” The letter cautions that housing makes up a large portion of family budgets, with about 10.7 million low-income renters spending more than half of their income on housing costs. It notes that the Catholic Church is the largest private provider of housing services for the poor but that they lack the resources to support everyone in need. … https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254577/us-bishops-urge-congress-to-make-housing-affordable __________________________________________________________ 12. ‘Pride Mass’ takes place in Washington, D.C., despite calls for cardinal to intervene, By Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency, June 15, 2023, 12:35 PM A “Pride Mass” took place in Washington, D.C.’s Holy Trinity Catholic Church Wednesday night despite calls for Cardinal Wilton Gregory to cancel it. About 250 people attended the third annual Pride Mass, organized by Holy Trinity’s LGBTQIA+ Ministry at the Jesuit-run church, located in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. President Joe Biden has been known to attend Sunday Mass at Holy Trinity, as has former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. President John F. Kennedy and his family also attended Mass at the church. According to an online statement from the celebrant, the parish’s pastor, Father Kevin Gillespie, SJ, the Mass was “an expression of our parish’s mission statement to accompany one another in Christ, celebrate God’s love, and transform lives.” … https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254580/pride-mass-takes-place-in-washington-dc-despite-calls-for-cardinal-to-intervene __________________________________________________________ 13. GOP defense bill would end abortion, sex-change drugs at VA facilities, By Tyler Arnold, Catholic News Agency, June 15, 2023, 4:00 PM House Republicans advanced legislation that would prevent Veterans Affairs facilities from performing abortions in most cases, block funds for sex-change drugs, and establish religious freedom protections. The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee included these provisions in a defense spending bill, which provides more than $317 billion in funding for the Department of Defense (DOD). They were added through amendments proposed by Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, and approved on a party-line vote 34-27. Some of the amendments are meant to circumvent new policies created by Veterans Affairs, such as the Interim Final Rule that allows abortion in some cases, and its decision to provide patients with hormone therapy and prosthetics to help facilitate sex changes. … https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254585/gop-defense-bill-would-end-abortion-sex-change-drugs-at-va-facilities __________________________________________________________ 14. Eight questions with Archbishop Broglio, By The Pillar, June 15, 2023, 6:00 PM, Interview While U.S. bishops took a lunch break from their spring plenary assembly in Orlando, Florida on June 15, The Pillar caught up with Archbishop Timothy Broglio, USCCB president and Archbishop of the Military Services, for a brief hallway conversation about the Eucharistic Revival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and how to respond to anti-Catholicism. … https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/eight-questions-with-archbishop-broglio __________________________________________________________

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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