By Sarah Hinds Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — A deep appreciation for religious liberty brought Anh Thu Vu of the Binh Thuan province of Vietnam to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the Fortnight for Freedom closing Mass July 4.

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — Asking for forgiveness, Pope Francis told abuse survivors that “despicable actions” caused by clergy have been hidden for too long and had been “camouflaged with a complicity that cannot be explained.”

By Sarah Hinds Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court has issued a temporary injunction protecting the Eternal Word Television Network from having to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate.

USCCB Report The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today in favor of Hobby Lobby Stores and Conestoga Wood Specialties means “justice has prevailed,” said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad …

(Updated at 12:44 p.m.) By Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service    READ MORE: USCCB Releases Statement Live Twitter feed of Supreme Court Coverage  WASHINGTON — In a narrowly tailored 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court June 30 said closely held companies may be exempted from a government requirement to include contraceptives …

Staff Report The Supreme Court decision in the cases involving the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate and for-profit employers Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Woods will be handed down this morning, June 30, around 10 a.m.

By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON — In a June 26 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that 35-foot buffer zones around abortion clinics — meant to keep demonstrators away — violates First Amendment rights. Supreme Court watchers suspect a decision in the other high-profile case being monitored …

By Francis Njuguna Catholic News Service  NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Catholic bishops blamed “inherent corruption” and ethnic tensions for the country’s recent insecurity. A June 25 statement signed by the country’s 26 bishops said the “situation has been aggravated further by the rising political temperatures on both sides of the …

By Catholic News Service  SILVER SPRING, Md. — Msgr. Richard Hilgartner, outgoing executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Divine Worship, has been named the new president of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, based in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring. Msgr. Hilgartner will assume his new role …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis‘ schedule for summer 2014 is almost an exact duplicate of the schedule he kept in 2013, except he will be making an August trip to South Korea for Asian Youth Day. Last year, he traveled to Brazil in July …