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Herald Malaysia
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Catholic nuns protest social net cuts as US Senate considers bill
Over 60 congregations and Catholic women religious groups call for promoting economic justice and immigrant protection Jun 25, 2025 Catholic sisters from about 50 congregations, along with supporters and social justice groups, gather outside the US Capitol to urge Congress to reject budget cuts to social assistance programs and oppose attacks on immigrants, in Washington, DC on June 24. (Photo: AFP) By Kate Scanlon, OSV News As the Senate continued its consideration of a sweeping package for President Donald Trump's agenda, Catholic women religious held a demonstration on Capitol grounds June 24, urging lawmakers not to cut programs such as Medicaid or SNAP that support people with low incomes. At an event called "Sisters Speak Out," representatives of more than 60 congregations and organizations of Catholic women religious called for policies promoting economic justice and justice for immigrants. Sister Eilis McCulloh, a Humility of Mary sister and a grassroots education and organizing specialist for Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, told OSV News that those gathered have concerns that the legislation would adversely "impact all the communities that we all serve and minister in and alongside." "It's going to slash Medicaid for 60 million people," Sister McCulloh said of the House's version of the bill. "It's going to decimate the immigrant communities. It's going to take food away from children. And we knew that as sisters and associates and partners in mission, that now is the time for us to speak up and speak out and say that you know this, this is not going to happen in our name." House Republicans passed in May what Trump calls his "one big, beautiful bill" -- and as such, later named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act -- which would enact key provisions of his legislative agenda on tax and immigration policy. Trump has called for the Senate to follow suit by July 4, even urging them to skip their upcoming scheduled recess for the holiday. "To my friends in the Senate, lock yourself in a room if you must, don't go home, and GET THE DEAL DONE THIS WEEK," Trump wrote June 24 on his website Truth Social. "Work with the House so they can pick it up, and pass it, IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT'S DONE." But whether the Senate will do so remains to be seen, as some rural state members of the Republican majority have raised objections to Medicaid cuts, among other sticking points, such as artificial intelligence regulation. Catholic leaders, including the U.S. bishops, have alternately praised and criticized various provisions in the House's version of the package, objecting to provisions such as its cuts to Medicaid, while praising a provision that would eliminate funds to health providers who also perform abortions. The bishops said in a May letter to members of Congress that provisions that would cut Medicaid and SNAP "are unconscionable and unacceptable." Mercy Sister Mary Haddad, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, told attendees at the rally that "as Congress debates the future of Medicaid, we urge lawmakers to remember that health is not just about treatment. It's about prevention. It's about dignity. It's about ensuring everyone has the foundation they need to thrive." The bill, Sister Haddad said, "would replace coverage with uncertainty and compassion with red tape." "When people lose coverage, they delay care, they rely on the emergency room, and they experience a worsening of their health conditions," she said. "Providers are left absorbing more of the cost, stretching already thin margins to a burned-out workforce. Senators carry a profound responsibility as they consider this legislation. I urge them to be guided by a simple principle: Medicaid and its recipients deserve a future rooted in stability, access, and health, not cuts and consequences." Conversely, some pro-life organizations are urging the Senate to pass the measure with a provision that would strip funds from entities that perform elective abortions. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America told reporters on a June 23 press call that "we have a Congress that seeks to defund abortion businesses and the reconciliation bill, and we are waiting today and tomorrow to find out if that language stays in the bill." Republicans hold 53 seats in the upper chamber, and can only afford three defections from their members if they are to pass the
Herald Malaysia
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Civil rights probe over law requiring priests to break confessional secrecy
Washington legislation will make members of the clergy mandatory reporters of any instances of child abuse or neglect May 08, 2025 This undated photo shows a confessional located within a church. (Photo: Canva) By Kate Scanlon, OSV News The Justice Department said May 5 it opened a civil rights investigation into the development and passage of legislation in Washington state that requires clergy to report child abuse or neglect but provides no exceptions for clergy-penitent privilege. Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson on May 2 signed into law Senate Bill 5375, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Noel Frame of Seattle, which will make members of the clergy mandatory reporters, or people required by law to report suspected or known instances of child abuse or neglect. The version of the legislation signed into law did not include an exception to the requirement for sacramental confessions. Other mandatory reporters in Washington state include school personnel, nurses, social service counselors and psychologists. While some have argued the bill addresses an important omission from the state's list of mandatory reporters, others have expressed concern that without exceptions for the clergy-penitent privilege, the law could place Catholic priests at odds with civil law in order to uphold church law regarding the seal of the confessional. The Justice Department said it planned to investigate what it called an apparent conflict between Washington state's new law and the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement, "SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government." "Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals," Dhillon said. "We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State's cooperation with our investigation." Every U.S. state, district or territory has some form of mandatory reporting law. Most states that specifically include clergy in their mandatory reporting laws provide some clergy-penitent privileges to varying degrees, according to data from the Child Welfare Information Gateway, which operates under the Children's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Washington State Catholic Conference opposed the particular version of the legislation that was approved by the Legislature, urging lawmakers to amend it "to provide a narrow exception for confidential communications between a member of the clergy and a penitent person of faith." "The majority of states that include clergy as mandatory reporters include an exemption for confidential communications, demonstrating that the states' interests in child protection can be achieved without violating the right to free exercise of religion," the conference said in an April advocacy bulletin. The conference, which is the public policy arm of the state's Catholic bishops, previously supported a different version of the legislation to make clergy mandatory reporters with an exemption for the sacrament of confession. After signing the bill on May 2, Ferguson told reporters that he is Catholic and sees the legislation as "pretty straightforward." "My uncle was a Jesuit priest for many years, [I've] been to confession myself -- and so I'm very familiar with that," he said, according to KXLY-TV. "I felt this was important legislation and protecting kids is first priority." In a May 4 statement, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle said, "The Catholic Church agrees with the goal of protecting children and preventing child abuse." "The Archdiocese of Seattle remains committed to reporting child sexual abuse, working with victim survivors towards healing and protecting all minors and vulnerable people," he said. "Our policies already require priests to be mandatory reporters, but not if this information is obtained during confession." Archbishop Etienne expressed concern that priests would be placed in a position where they could not comply with the law if such information were revealed through the sacrament of confession. "Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession – or they will be excommunicated from the Church," he said. "All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church."--
