1. Supreme Court rules that Catholic groups were unlawfully barred from a religious tax exemption, Officials in Wisconsin said groups linked to the Catholic Church were not eligible for an exemption from the state’s unemployment assistance tax., By Lawrence Hurley, NBC News, June 5, 2025, 8:17 AM
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Wisconsin wrongly denied religious exemptions to Catholic Church-affiliated charitable groups from a state unemployment tax, violating the First Amendment’s free exercise clause. The Court found that Wisconsin’s decision discriminated against the groups based on religion, especially since the state already granted exemptions to other religious institutions. Writing for the Court, Justice Sonia Sotomayor emphasized that the government must remain neutral on religious matters and cannot impose denominational preferences when evaluating religious purpose.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules-catholic-groups-unlawfully-barred-religious-exempt-rcna202654
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2. Pope meets with child protection advisory board amid survivor calls for zero tolerance on abuse, Pope Leo XIV has met with members of the Vatican’s child protection advisory commission for the first time amid questions about his past handling of abuse and demands from survivors that he enact a true zero tolerance for abuse policy across the Catholic Church, By Nicole Winfield, The Washington Post, June 5, 2025, 8:03 AM
Pope Leo XIV met with the Vatican’s child protection advisory commission for the first time, amid renewed scrutiny over his past handling of clergy sex abuse cases and calls from survivors for strict zero-tolerance policies. The commission, including survivors and experts, described the meeting as a meaningful step in renewing the Church’s commitment to protecting vulnerable people, though no remarks from Leo were made public. While Leo has been praised for past reform efforts, critics continue to demand accountability and action on unresolved cases, including that of Rev. Marko Rupnik, whose prosecution remains stalled.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/06/05/pope-leo-child-protection-clergy-sex-abuse/22ad538a-4205-11f0-b78e-5ddff7eb1e49_story.html
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3. Texas hospital that discharged woman with doomed pregnancy violated the law, a federal inquiry finds, A federal investigation has found that a Texas hospital that repeatedly sent a woman who was bleeding and in pain home without ending her nonviable, life-threatening pregnancy violated the law, By Amanda Seitz, Associated Press, June 4, 2025, 3:23 PM
A federal investigation found that a Texas hospital violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act by repeatedly sending Kyleigh Thurman home without treating her life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, which ultimately led to the loss of part of her reproductive system. While the finding offered a small victory for Thurman and highlighted gaps in emergency abortion care under strict state laws, a new Trump administration policy has cast doubt on future federal oversight in similar cases. Despite federal law still requiring stabilizing treatment in emergencies, the rollback of Biden-era guidance raises concerns about whether hospitals will face consequences for denying care in life-threatening pregnancy complications.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/04/abortion-texas-hospital-doomed-pregnancy-discharge/ac43e9cc-4158-11f0-b78e-5ddff7eb1e49_story.html
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4. Nebraska is the latest state to ban transgender students from girls’ sports, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has signed into law a measure banning transgender athletes from girls’ sports, By Margery A. Beck, Associated Press, June 4, 2025, 4:36 PM
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed a law banning transgender students from participating in girls’ sports, joining over 20 other states with similar restrictions. The bill passed narrowly after being stripped of a proposed ban on transgender students using bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity, though its sponsor vowed to revive that effort next year. Supporters claim the law protects fairness in women’s sports, while critics, including the ACLU, argue it targets a tiny number of students and fosters discrimination without solving real issues.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/06/04/transgender-sports-ban-nebraska/6bd6dc1c-416e-11f0-b78e-5ddff7eb1e49_story.html
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5. FBI Targeting of Catholics More Widespread Than Wray Claimed, Documents Show, By James Lynch, National Review, June 4, 2025, 11:34 AM
Newly released documents reveal the FBI’s efforts to monitor “radical traditionalist Catholics” were more extensive than former director Christopher Wray acknowledged in congressional testimony, involving multiple field offices and over a dozen documents using anti-Catholic terminology. The investigation, sparked by a leaked 2023 memo from the Richmond office, shows coordination with other field offices and reliance on controversial sources like the Southern Poverty Law Center, despite internal pushback. Senator Chuck Grassley, who uncovered the records, is accusing the FBI of misleading Congress, deleting relevant files, and obstructing oversight, and he is calling for continued investigation into anti-Catholic bias within the bureau.
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/fbi-targeting-of-catholics-more-widespread-than-wray-claimed-documents-show/
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6. Charlotte bishop delays Traditional Latin Mass restrictions after backlash, By Jonathan Liedl, Catholic News Agency, June 4, 2025, 9:39 AM
Bishop Michael Martin of Charlotte has delayed his plan to restrict the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) from four parish churches to a single chapel, moving the effective date from July 8 to October 2 following significant backlash and priest requests. The delay aligns with the Vatican’s original extension deadline for implementing Traditionis Custodes, and also allows more time for renovations to the new TLM location and for parishioners to transition. Critics argue the move is premature, overly restrictive, and inconsistent with Church teaching, especially amid controversy over a leaked draft of broader liturgical reforms proposed by the diocese.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264527/charlotte-bishop-michael-martin-delays-traditional-latin-mass-restrictions-after-backlash
__________________________________________________________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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