1. Companies’ New Cause: Dodging the Culture Wars, Executives rethink if and when to weigh in on potentially divisive issues, fearing backlash from all sides, and develop crisis plans in case things go wrong, By Chip Cutter and Lauren Weber, The Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2023, 12:01 AM
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Over the past decade, companies have become more vocal on causes such as immigration, voting access, abortion, gay rights and racial equity, often taking stances shared by progressives. Many executives said they felt pushed by employees or customers to express an opinion on issues rippling through society.
What is changing now, executives and corporate advisers said, is that conservative groups and political leaders are pushing back against companies more forcefully. Consumers are also more openly expressing frustration that companies are airing views in ways some don’t welcome.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers experienced an outcry in May after the baseball team invited, then disinvited, a community-service and drag group known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as part of its LGBTQ+ Pride Night.
In a letter to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, objected to the invitation, saying that the Sisters have “mocked and degraded Christians, and especially Catholics” in part because they dress as nuns. After criticism from LGBT groups and supporters, the Dodgers re-invited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a decision that then brought pushback from some religious MLB players, who echoed Rubio’s sentiments.
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/companies-new-cause-dodging-the-culture-wars-73e52cf3
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2. Oklahoma school board approves what would be the 1st taxpayer-funded religious school in US, By Sean Murphy, Associated Press, June 5, 2023
A state school board in Oklahoma voted Monday to approve what would be the first publicly funded religious school in the nation, despite a warning from the state’s attorney general that the decision was unconstitutional.
The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted 3-2 to approve the application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma to establish the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School. The online public charter school would be open to students across the state in kindergarten through grade 12.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond had warned the board that such a decision clearly violated the Oklahoma Constitution.
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https://apnews.com/article/religious-charter-school-oklahoma-be6e51ffcdaeb393c4be34a6f27feba4
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3. Pope Francis to sign human fraternity document with Nobel laureates in St. Peter’s Square, By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency, June 5, 2023, 12:20 PM
Nobel laureates, Grammy-winner Andrea Bocelli, and several former heads of state will join Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday night for the World Meeting on Human Fraternity.
The June 10 event, called “#Not Alone,” will culminate with Pope Francis signing a document calling for a commitment to human fraternity drafted by a dozen Nobel Peace Prize winners together with representatives of former Nobel Prize-winning organizations.
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Nobel laureates who have confirmed their participation in the World Meeting on Human Fraternity include Iraqi human rights advocate Nadia Murad, Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege, and Yemeni Arab Spring leader Tawakkol Karman.
The former presidents of Colombia, Costa Rica, Poland, and Democratic Republic of East Timor — all peace prize winners — will also participate, as well as representatives of several U.N. organizations that have been past recipients.
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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254487/pope-francis-to-sign-human-fraternity-document-with-nobel-laureates-in-st-peter-s-square
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4. ‘National Celebrate Life Day’ rally in Washington, DC, announced for anniversary of Roe reversal, By Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency, June 5, 2023, 1:20 PM
Leading pro-life organizations will hold a “National Celebrate Life Day” rally and gala in Washington, D.C., on June 24, the first anniversary of the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Students for Life of America (SFLA) announced the event in an April press release.
The rally will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall from 10:30 a.m. to noon and will be co-hosted by SFLA, 40 Days for Life, Live Action, and Pro-Life Partners Foundation.
SFLA President Kristan Hawkins said in the release that the first anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision marks “both the celebration of a battle won and a moment to rally the troops for our new opportunities.”
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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254486/national-celebrate-life-day-rally-in-washington-dc-announced-for-anniversary-of-roe-reversal
__________________________________________________________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. |
