Catholic Charities

SAN FRANCISCO -- If you don't believe in the law, do you have to follow it? That's the question before courts in New York and California, which are being asked to exempt branches of the Catholic Church from state laws requiring that contraceptives be included in employee prescription drug plans. Under church doctrine, contraception is a sin. "The Catholic Church explicitly teaches that artificial contraception is morally unacceptable and, if knowingly and freely engaged in, sinful," said James Sweeney, lawyer for Catholic Charities of Sacramento.

NEW YORK - Catholic Charities in Illinois has served for more than 40 years as a major link in the state's social service network for poor and neglected children. But now most of the Catholic Charities affiliates in Illinois are closing down rather than comply with a new requirement that says they can no longer receive state money if they turn away same-sex couples as potential foster care and adoptive parents. For the nation's Roman Catholic bishops, the outcome is a prime example of what they see as an escalating campaign by the government to trample on their religious...

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a precedent-setting decision, the California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a Roman Catholic charity must offer birth-control coverage to its employees even though the church considers contraception a sin. The 6-to-1 decision marked the first such ruling by a state's highest court. Specialists said the ruling could affect thousands of workers at Catholic hospitals and other church-backed institutions in California and prompt other states to fashion similar laws.

Joseph Doolin, former longtime president of Catholic Charities, renders a nostalgic yet clear-eyed portrait of his family's past in his new book, "South Boston Boy" (Bumps River). Reading his memoir is like strolling through a bygone Boston, a time when people lined up for fried seafood at Kelly's Landing, house doors were left unlocked and children unattended. Yet he doesn't shy away from addressing the hardships presented by his father's excessive drinking and his own chronic stuttering.

An Illinois judge ruled Thursday that the state can stop working with Catholic Charities on adoptions and foster care placements — something the state decided to do in July after the not-for-profit agency refused to recognize Illinois' new civil unions law. In his ruling, Sangamon County Circuit Judge John Schmidt said that no one, including Catholic Charities, has a legal right to a contract with the state government. He did not address the more sensitive issue of whether a state contractor that refuses to serve gays and lesbians is violating the state's new civil unions law. ...

Joseph Doolin, former longtime president of Catholic Charities, renders a nostalgic yet clear-eyed portrait of his family's past in his new book, "South Boston Boy" (Bumps River). Reading his memoir is like strolling through a bygone Boston, a time when people lined up for fried seafood at Kelly's Landing, house doors were left unlocked and children unattended. Yet he doesn't shy away from addressing the hardships presented by his father's excessive drinking and his own...

WASHINGTON - The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is threatening to stop providing social services, including management of city homeless shelters, unless lawmakers change a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. Most City Council members have refused to do that. Catholic Charities has city contracts to provide services to about 68,000 people. The marriage bill would not require churches to perform same-sex weddings, but because Catholic Charities uses city money, the archdiocese fears it would have to offer employee benefits and adoptions to married same-sex couples.

As Massachusetts charities enter a fourth holiday season since the economic collapse, many families - especially those with children - are struggling to afford basic necessities, say those who work with the poor. Calls to United Way's help line have doubled since 2008, with nearly 100,000 people so far this year looking for a way to make rent, put food on the table, or keep the power on. Catholic Charities, which five years ago distributed 5,000 pounds of food each month, is now up to about 48,000 pounds.

The struggles of the poor to pay heating bills are as common a part of a Massachusetts winter as lip-cracking cold and hazardous highways. But advocates of fuel assistance say this year will be worse. With predicted heating fuel price increases near 30 percent, charities say they're more aggressively appealing to private donors to cover the rising costs. This week, Catholic Charities joined other agencies that have stepped up private appeals and announced a fund-raising campaign that emphasizes emergency food and fuel...

Like many Bostonians, the leader of the city’s Catholic archdiocese is pulling for the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup. But Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley has an added incentive to root for the home team — he’s out $100 if they lose. The prelate has a friendly wager with his counterpart in Vancouver, the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB, leader of the Vancouver archdiocese. According to their press aides, Miller approached O’Malley with the idea of the bet: If the Bruins win the Cup, he will donate $100 to Catholic Charities of Boston; but if the Canucks ultimately prevail, O’Malley will...

THE HOLIDAY season is off to a rousing start for shoppers, and the zigzagging stock market is on a fresh upswing. But for charities, requests for assistance are so far up that even a slight increase in giving similar to last year's will leave many needs untended. There's a good way to square these equations: Consumers should do all they can to extend the generosity they're showing their loved ones, as evidenced by surging Christmas sales, to those who are less fortunate. First, the good news: In-store sales on Black Friday increased to $11.4 billion - a jump of 6.6 percent...

As Massachusetts charities enter a fourth holiday season since the economic collapse, many families - especially those with children - are struggling to afford basic necessities, say those who work with the poor. Calls to United Way's help line have doubled since 2008, with nearly 100,000 people so far this year looking for a way to make rent, put food on the table, or keep the power on. Catholic Charities, which five years ago distributed 5,000 pounds of food each month, is now up to about 48,000 pounds.

The Boston Foundation and three other major local nonprofit organizations yesterday urged Senator John F. Kerry to oppose the cap on tax deductions for charitable giving by wealthy donors that President Obama has proposed. The Massachusetts nonprofits are joining hundreds of charities nationwide in lobbying against any changes to the tax code that could reduce incentives for charitable giving, saying organizations across the country stand to lose as much as $7 billion a year if the president's cap on deductions is adopted.

An Illinois judge ruled Thursday that the state can stop working with Catholic Charities on adoptions and foster care placements — something the state decided to do in July after the not-for-profit agency refused to recognize Illinois' new civil unions law. In his ruling, Sangamon County Circuit Judge John Schmidt said that no one, including Catholic Charities, has a legal right to a contract with the state government. He did not address the more sensitive issue of whether a state contractor that refuses to serve gays and lesbians is violating the state's...

SPRINGFIELD — Even before disaster struck, life was not easy for Michael Runnells and his family. He lost his job two years ago, which left just his wife’s modest paycheck from Starbucks and their food stamps card to support their three teenage children. They struggled to make rent each month, and watched pennies. So it was a special triumph a few weeks ago when, after a year of saving, they bought a $1,200 bedroom set for their 16-year-old daughter, borrowing $50 from a friend to pay the sales tax. Then the tornado came, sweeping away the bedroom...

Like many Bostonians, the leader of the city’s Catholic archdiocese is pulling for the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup. But Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley has an added incentive to root for the home team — he’s out $100 if they lose. The prelate has a friendly wager with his counterpart in Vancouver, the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB, leader of the Vancouver archdiocese. According to their press aides, Miller approached O’Malley with the idea of the bet: If the Bruins win the Cup, he will donate $100 to Catholic Charities of Boston; but if the Canucks ultimately prevail,...

THE HOLIDAY season is off to a rousing start for shoppers, and the zigzagging stock market is on a fresh upswing. But for charities, requests for assistance are so far up that even a slight increase in giving similar to last year's will leave many needs untended. There's a good way to square these equations: Consumers should do all they can to extend the generosity they're showing their loved ones, as evidenced by surging Christmas sales, to those who are less fortunate. First, the good news: In-store sales on Black Friday increased to $11.4 billion - a jump of 6.6 percent...

WASHINGTON - The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is threatening to stop providing social services, including management of city homeless shelters, unless lawmakers change a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. Most City Council members have refused to do that. Catholic Charities has city contracts to provide services to about 68,000 people. The marriage bill would not require churches to perform same-sex weddings, but because Catholic Charities uses city money, the archdiocese fears it would have to offer employee benefits and adoptions to married same-sex couples.