St. Clement Catholic Parish

A Chase bank building in Wilmington, Delaware. / Credit: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Mar 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Legislators in several states are moving to address the practice of “debanking” as part of an effort to stop what some critics say are anti-conservative measures employed by major U.S. financial institutions.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines debanking as “the act by a bank of closing someone’s account because they are regarded as a risk legally, financially, or to the bank’s reputation.” Critics have claimed that the practice is used by banks to antagonize certain groups, including conservatives and other political activists. 

For example, the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit earlier this month against one of the largest banks in the United States. President Donald Trump claims he was a victim of debanking after Capital One allegedly closed hundreds of his organization’s accounts soon after his supporters’ Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol.

In her recently-released memoir, Melania Trump alleged that she and her son, Barron, were also debanked.

The Ruth Institute, a global coalition designed to equip Christians to defend the family, alleged it was debanked in 2017. Just two years ago, a Memphis-based Christian charity called the Indigenous Advance Ministries also claimed that it had been debanked by Bank of America.

In another high-profile case, in 2022 former U.S. senator and ambassador Sam Brownback announced that his nonprofit group the National Committee for Religious Freedom had been debanked.

Over the past decade, other high-ranking individuals and grassroots organizations have reportedly faced debanking, including Nigel Farage, who led the Brexit effort in the United Kingdom; evangelist and motivational speaker Nick Vujicic; Moms for Liberty, a parental rights advocacy group; Christian author and preacher Lance Wallnau; and Timothy Two Project International, a Christian ministry.

U.S. bishops ‘monitoring’ debanking; legislators move to address 

While it’s unclear to what extent debanking has affected U.S. Catholics, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops acknowledged the phenomenon in its 2025 religious liberty report. 

“In recent years, individuals have raised concerns that banks are discriminating on the basis of political and religious viewpoints,” the report read.

“In response to incidents like these, some states have begun passing laws intended to prevent politically motivated debanking,” the bishops noted. “However, the U.S. government argues that these laws hamstring banks, who need to be able to account for potential customers’ exposure to foreign actors. The lack of transparency, though, makes it difficult to ascertain why someone like Ambassador Brownback would be debanked.”

According to the report, the USCCB is “monitoring this issue but has not taken a position on it.” 

Taking action against debanking 

Some lawmakers are moving to address the controversy via legislation.

An anti-debanking bill in Idaho was sent to the state governor for signature last week.

The Transparency in Financial Services Act would prohibit “large financial institutions from discriminating against customers based on their political or religious views” and would give customers the right to request the reason for denial from an institution.

Montana’s Republican-sponsored Equality in Financial Services Act and South Carolina’s anti-debanking bill — similar to Idaho’s bill — have made some progress in the state Legislature, while Georgia’s Freedom of Speech and Belief Act failed to pass at the beginning of March.

Some see changes in bank policy, or even legal changes, as potential solutions to debanking.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) — a legal group committed to protecting religious freedom and freedom of speech — worked with Indigenous Advance Ministries to file a consumer complaint following its alleged debanking in 2022.

“No American should ever fear losing access to their bank account due to their religious or political beliefs,” Lathan Watts, ADF’s vice president of public affairs, told CNA.

In its 2023 Viewpoint Diversity Score Index, ADF found that 7 out of 10 of the largest commercial banks — including Chase — have “hate speech” or “reputational risk” policies that contribute to debanking.

JPMorgan Chase, a top American bank, recently adjusted its policy, agreeing to protect clients against political and religious debanking in its code of conduct after 19 attorneys general petitioned the bank to cease its debanking practices in 2023.

“Chase’s policy change is a significant step by our nation’s largest bank to uphold financial access for all Americans,” Watts said. “This change provides necessary protections for customers like Ambassador Brownback, whose account at the National Committee for Religious Freedom was unexpectedly canceled in 2022.”

Watts shared his hope that other banks will take similar measures.

“Alliance Defending Freedom actively engaged with Chase in these negotiations, and we are hopeful that other banks will follow suit in safeguarding fundamental financial freedoms,” Watts said.

Jennifer Roback Morse, the founder and president of the Ruth Institute — an organization dedicated to combating the effects of the sexual revolution — recalled her own experience allegedly being debanked.

“In 2017, the Ruth Institute was one of the first organizations to be attacked in the banking arena,” Morse told CNA. “In our case, our credit card processor cut us off with no notification, or explanation, except to say that we ‘violated its standards.’”

While there was no clear explanation, Morse believes it was due to a leftist law center labeling the organization as a hate group. 

“We surmised this was because we were listed on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s ‘Hate Map’ for our opposition to the redefinition of marriage and other LGBT-issues,” Morse said. “Thankfully, we were able to secure another credit card processor fairly quickly.” 

Morse told CNA that banking “is a highly regulated, semi-monopolistic industry, comparable in some respects to public utilities such as electricity and water.”

“I am in favor of banks being legally required to be transparent and even-handed in their standards,” she said.

“Alternatively, if banks are permitted to engage in viewpoint discrimination,” she argued, “I would urge that bakers, florists, therapists, and other professionals also be permitted to refuse service to potential customers for any reason they choose.”

“A disappointed customer can find an alternative photographer a lot easier than they can find an alternative bank,” Morse noted. “And it is a lot easier to participate in the business world without a photographer or florist than to survive without banking services.”

‘A balanced approach’ 

While conservative legislators are pushing these anti-debanking bills, support for this legislation is not entirely united within the conservative movement.

A recent poll found that while a majority of conservatives are concerned about debanking, nearly three-quarters of conservatives expressed support for banks having the right to choose their own clients. 

The poll by the Tyson Group found that conservatives “do not support broad government intervention that prevents financial institutions from making risk-based assessments when determining their customers.” 

“When informed that legislation could force businesses to provide services to customers at odds with their values and the conservative movement, many expressed hesitations,” the study noted.

“As conservatives push for greater accountability from regulators, they also seek a balanced approach to debanking that avoids unintended consequences and protects the rights of both consumers and businesses.”

Some opponents of anti-debanking laws maintain that restrictions against debanking could have unintended consequences.

In South Carolina, for example, an anti-debanking bill under consideration, the Equality in Financial Services Act, would prevent financial institutions from discriminating when providing financial services.

But a Republican executive committeeman from Richland, South Carolina, is concerned that such an anti-debanking law could require pro-life banks to work with abortionists.

“Stopping abortion and protecting children requires winning hearts and minds but also cutting off the financial pipeline that enables these activities,” Eaddy Roe Willard, Richland GOP executive committeeman, told CNA. “Misguided legislation at the state level will only make it harder to do that.”

Cardinal Robert McElroy speaks at the conference “Catholic Social Teaching and Work with Migrants and Refugees at a Time of Uncertainty” on March 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Madalaine Elhabbal/CNA

Washington D.C., Mar 25, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

Washington, D.C.’s newly minted archbishop, Cardinal Robert McElroy, made his first public appearance since his installment at a conference on immigration policy Monday, offering a “spiritual and moral” reflection on the “American situation at this moment.”

Appealing to the teachings of Pope Francis as articulated in his recent letter to the American bishops and his 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti, McElroy centered his remarks on the parable of the good Samaritan. 

“We’ve got to remember the call of Jesus is constant, to always be attentive to the needs and the suffering that lie around us, to perceive it, and then to act,” he said, comparing the plight of migrants to the robbers’ victim in the parable of the good Samaritan. 

Following the Holy Father’s reflection on the same parable, McElroy asserted that “each of us victimizes others consciously in a variety of different ways” and that “when we place our own interests and well-being ahead of others and cause harm, we must be in touch with that side of ourselves with the darkness, which is the robber inside every one of us.”

He continued: “That is one of the great calls of Christian conversion, to root out that darkness, to face it where it lies and to fight against it always.” 

The March 24 event, titled “Catholic Social Teaching and Work with Migrants and Refugees at a Time of Uncertainty,” was hosted in Washington, D.C., by Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) USA and the Center for Migration Studies of New York. 

Like numerous Catholic Charities organizations across the country, the Trump administration suspended aid to JRS USA’s refugee programs around the world, initiating a “total work stoppage” for the foreign aid programs at the beginning of last month. The State Department has since restored funding for two of JRS USA’s programs but has sought to terminate funding contracts for others. 

During his remarks, McElroy sharply criticized the administration’s foreign aid suspension as “unconscionable through any prism of Catholic thought.”

“If we look at the figure of the robber at this moment,” he stated, “I think we must say to ourselves quite clearly and categorically, the suspension of the U.S. Agency for International Development monies for humanitarian relief is moral theft from the poorest and the most desperate men, women, and children in our world today.”

He further condemned the administration’s mass deportation efforts, which he said victimizes migrants as in the parable and “generates fear ... which uproots everybody’s understanding of the bonds which so many undocumented men, women, children, and families have formed in our society in the often decades that they have been here.”

“The undocumented are the victims of this moment and of these policies,” he said. 

McElroy further called for solidarity among Catholics and migrants, saying that “we must not only advocate but also act in support of them in every way possible.” The archbishop gave an example of mothers he knew several years ago in the Diocese of San Diego, who he said would text each other if they saw an ICE truck in front of their children’s school.

While the archbishop acknowledged border security and the exclusion of criminals as “legitimate,” he said “we must always also understand the many themes that are supporting the effort to undermine the rights and dignity of the undocumented come from the blackest parts of our history.”

Ultimately, he concluded that there are two pathways forward for the U.S. on immigration. The first pathway, supported he said by Catholic social teaching, “is to change our laws so that they have secure borders and dignity for the treatment of everyone at those borders and a generous asylum and refugee policy.”

“The other pathway is a crusade, which comes from the darkest parts of our American psyche and soul and history,” he continued. “These are the two choices we have. We as a nation will have to make one choice. The pathway of crusade and mass deportation cannot be followed in conscience by those who call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ.”

The Annunciation by Fra Angelico. / Credit: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

National Catholic Register, Mar 25, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Annunciation. It’s typically celebrated on March 25, unless it falls during Holy Week, by which it is superseded.

The day celebrates the appearance of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce the incarnation. Here are eight things to know and to share about the feast day and its significance.

1. What does the word “annunciation” mean?

The word is derived from the same root as the word “announce.” Gabriel is announcing the incarnation of Christ — God becoming man in the person of Jesus.

“Annunciation” is simply an old-fashioned way of saying “announcement.”

The term can be applied to other events also. For example, in his book “Jesus of Nazareth 3: The Infancy Narratives,” Pope Benedict XVI has sections on both “the annunciation of the birth of John” and “the annunciation to Mary,” because John the Baptist’s birth was also announced in advance.

2. When is the Annunciation normally celebrated and why does it sometimes move?

Normally the solemnity of the Annunciation is celebrated March 25.

This date is used because it is nine months before Christmas (Dec. 25), and it is assumed that Jesus spent the normal nine months in his mother’s womb.

However, March 25 sometimes falls during Holy Week, and the days of Holy Week have a higher liturgical rank than this solemnity.

Still, the Annunciation is an important solemnity, and so it doesn’t just vanish from the calendar. Instead, as the rubrics in the Roman Missal note: “Whenever this solemnity occurs during Holy Week, it is transferred to the Monday after the second Sunday of Easter.”

It is thus celebrated on the first available day after Holy Week and the Octave of Easter (which ends on the second Sunday of Easter).

3. How does this story parallel the birth of John the Baptist?

As noted above, John the Baptist’s conception was announced in advance also. In both stories there are multiple parallels:

• The angel Gabriel makes the announcement.

• He announces to a single individual: Zechariah in John the Baptist’s case and Mary in Jesus’ case.

• He announces the miraculous conception of an individual who has a prominent place in God’s plan.

• He is met with a question in both cases (Zechariah asks how he can know this will happen; Mary asks how it will happen).

• A miraculous sign is offered as evidence (Zechariah is struck dumb; Mary is told of Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy, which is in its sixth month).

• Gabriel departs.

4. How is Mary’s reaction different from Zechariah’s?

At first glance, Mary’s reaction to Gabriel can appear like Zechariah’s unbelieving reaction, but it is fundamentally different.

Like Zechariah, she asks a question, but it is a question of a different sort:

• Zechariah asked how he could know what the angel says would be true. His attitude was one of skepticism.

• Mary does not ask for proof. Instead, she asks how the angel’s words will be fulfilled. She accepts what he says and wants to understand specifically how it will take place. Her attitude is thus one of faith seeking understanding, not a lack of faith.

5. What does Mary’s reaction say about her perpetual virginity?

Mary’s question is translated in the RSVCE translation of the Bible as “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”

This is not a good translation, because she does, in fact, have a husband: Joseph. Luke has already told us that she is betrothed to Joseph, which means that they were legally married (thus Joseph would have had to divorce her, not just “break the engagement” as one might today; cf. Matthew 1:19).

What the text literally says in Greek is “since I do not know man.”

This relies on the common biblical euphemism of “knowing” for sexual relations. Mary’s question indicates that she understands the facts of life, and it is surprising since she is legally married and awaiting the time that she and Joseph would begin to cohabit.

If she were planning on an ordinary marriage then the most natural interpretation of the angel’s statement would be that, after she and Joseph begin to cohabit, they will together conceive a child, whom the angel is now telling her about.

The fact that she asks the question indicates that this is not her understanding, and it has often been taken as a sign that she was not planning on an ordinary marriage.

Early Christian writings from the second century onward, beginning with the “Protoevangelium of James,” indicate that Mary was a consecrated virgin who was entrusted to the care of Joseph.

6. How does Gabriel respond to Mary’s question?

Gabriel informs her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”

Here Gabriel indicates the involvement of all three Persons of the Trinity: Through the action of the Holy Spirit, the Father causes the Son to be conceived in human form. There will be no human father, making clear the fact that the child will be the Son of God.

As a further illustration of God’s power, he points to the fact that Elizabeth, though old and apparently barren, has miraculously conceived a son and is in her sixth month of pregnancy. “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

7. Is Elizabeth Mary’s cousin?

This question sometimes comes up in discussions of Mary’s perpetual virginity, because it is sometimes thought that the “brothers” of the Lord were his cousins and that they are described as brothers because Aramaic has no word for “cousin.”

Yet the New American Bible described Elizabeth as Mary’s cousin.

Who Jesus’ “brothers” were has been understood in different ways. The earliest sources that comment on the question (including the second-century “Protoevangelium of James”) say they were stepbrothers through Joseph. They also, hypothetically, could have been adopted (adoption was very common in the ancient world since people often died early). So they need not have been cousins.

While it’s true that Aramaic does not have a word for cousin, Greek does (“anepsios”), but that is not the word used here.

Despite the well-known mistranslation in the NAB (later corrected in the NABRE), Elizabeth is not described as Mary’s “cousin.” The Greek word in this passage (“sungenis”) indicates a female relative — a kinswoman — not a cousin in particular.

8. Why is Mary’s “fiat” important?

Mary’s acceptance of this role is momentous and will entail suffering. It is momentous because she will be the mother of the Son of God himself. It will entail suffering in ways that she cannot yet foresee (e.g., witnessing the Crucifixion), but some she can foresee.

In particular, she will be regarded as having been unfaithful to Joseph, and that involves not only public shame but also, as Matthew records, endangering her relationship with Joseph and her future livelihood and social position. Yet she places herself completely at the service of God’s will.

Commenting on this, Pope Benedict writes:

“In one of his Advent homilies, Bernard of Clairvaux offers a stirring presentation of the drama of this moment. After the error of our first parents, the whole world was shrouded in darkness, under the dominion of death. Now God seeks to enter the world anew. He knocks at Mary’s door. He needs human freedom. The only way he can redeem man, who was created free, is by means of a free ‘yes’ to his will. In creating freedom, he made himself in a certain sense dependent upon man. His power is tied to the unenforceable ’yes’ of a human being.

“So Bernard portrays heaven and earth as it were holding its breath at this moment of the question addressed to Mary. Will she say yes? She hesitates … will her humility hold her back? Just this once — Bernard tells her — do not be humble but daring! Give us your ‘yes’! This is the crucial moment when, from her lips, from her heart, the answer comes: ‘Let it be to me according to your word.’ It is the moment of free, humble yet magnanimous obedience in which the loftiest choice of human freedom is made (‘Jesus of Nazareth 3: The Infancy Narratives,’ chapter 2).”

This story was first published on April 7, 2013, at the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted and updated by CNA.

Eucharistic hosts. / Credit: L.A. Faille/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2025 / 17:50 pm (CNA).

Following an investigation into a possible Eucharistic miracle at a local parish, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis announced Monday that scientific analysis indicated that the cause was natural, not miraculous. 

Last month, a post on X drew attention to what the post called a “‘potential’ Eucharistic miracle” after a parish in southern Indiana discovered a host with red spots on it, which the parish sacristan thought could be blood. 

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis said in a statement shared with CNA that laboratory analysis of common bacteria had caused the discoloration. 

“A biochemical analysis of a host from St. Anthony Catholic Church in Morris, Indiana, that was displaying red discoloration revealed the presence of a common bacteria found on all humans,” the statement read. “No presence of human blood was discovered.” 

The host had fallen and was later discovered with red spots, and biochemical analysis found that the discoloration was due to common bacteria and fungus.

“The host had fallen out of a Mass kit used at the parish, and when it was discovered, red spots were present,” the archdiocese stated. “Following policy established by the Holy See, the host was submitted for professional, biochemical analysis at a local laboratory. The results indicate the presence of fungus and three different species of bacteria, all of which are commonly found on human hands.” 

The archdiocese noted that there have been many carefully-reviewed miracles in the history of the Church. 

“Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, there have been well-documented miracles and apparitions, and each has been thoroughly and carefully reviewed,” the statement read.

Last year, the Vatican developed its practice regarding potential supernatural events, issuing new guidelines that give the Disastery for the Doctrine of the Faith the final say. 

Previous norms established by Pope Paul VI in 1978 left the discernment process for possible miraculous occurrences to local bishops. Under the new guidance, the task remains with the local bishop, but the dicastery must be consulted throughout the process.

null / Credit: Ulf Wittrock/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of an abortion procedure.

A woman is suing an abortionist for allegedly leaving more than half of her unborn child inside her after an abortion.

The 32-year-old woman, identified as “Jane Doe,” was about five months pregnant with her fifth child when she traveled from Indianapolis to an abortion facility in Champaign, Illinois. 

Days later, she needed emergency care and surgery to remove remnants of her 22-week-old child from her body. 

Now, Doe is suing the abortionist for medical negligence.

Doe and her lawyers filed the lawsuit against Dr. Keith Reisinger-Kindle and his Equity Clinic last week in the Circuit Court of Champaign County. 

On April 1 and 2, 2023, Doe visited the Equity Clinic for a late-term abortion. The next day, she called the clinic to report heavy cramping. 

When Doe first reported something had gone wrong, the clinic told her to take Tylenol and laxatives, the lawsuit alleges. 

But by April 4, the clinic recommended she have an enema or go to the emergency room. That day, Doe checked into the Community Hospital South Emergency Room in Indianapolis. 

When Doe went to the emergency room soon after her abortion procedure, the days-old remains of the unborn child had to be surgically removed from her body, according to the suit. 

Reisinger-Kindle, the suit alleges, had perforated her uterus during the procedure, leaving a hole the size of a quarter. 

The emergency room surgeon found half of the remains of Doe’s unborn child in her right pelvis as well as pieces of the child’s skull adhered to her intestines, according to the suit. 

The lawsuit claims that on April 5, the emergency room general surgeon called Reisinger-Kindle, who refused to provide information about the abortion. 

The lawsuit alleges that Reisinger-Kindle did not adequately examine Doe after discharging her from the clinic. In a medical report included in the files, an obstetrician-gynecologist consulted on the matter said the remnants should have been obvious had the doctor performed an “adequate exam.” 

The lawsuit states that Doe “will continue to experience irreversible suffering and emotional damages” as a result of the events. 

Reisinger-Kindle founded the Equity Clinic in response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, according to a profile about the clinic published by the Chicago Tribune. 

According to the profile, Reisinger-Kindle has volunteered in abortion clinics as a medical assistant since he was 18.

“The only reason I went to medical school was to be an abortion provider,” he told the Tribune.

A large percentage of the clinic’s patients are out-of-state women, as abortion is legally considered a “fundamental right” in Illinois under the 2019 Reproductive Health Act.

The Equity Clinic provides surgical and chemical abortions as well as late-term dilation and evacuation abortions on unborn children in some cases up to 26 weeks old.

At 22 weeks, Doe’s baby was nearing the age of viability — the age when an unborn child can survive outside of the womb, usually determined to be about 24-26 weeks. In Illinois, abortions are allowed up until fetal viability.

In some cases, prematurely-born babies have survived as early as 21 to 22 weeks.

St. Mary's School in Fredericksburg, Texas. / Credit: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Seattle, Wash., Mar 24, 2025 / 15:40 pm (CNA).

A $1 billion “school choice” proposal moving through the Texas Legislature could dramatically expand private education and home schooling in the country’s second most populous state, winning praise from Catholic leaders while raising concerns among some public school advocates. 

The legislation would create education savings accounts (ESAs) of about $10,893 per student — calculated as roughly 85% of what public schools receive per pupil — and allow home schooling families to collect $2,000 per child. Crucially, the bill does not include any income cap, prompting debate over whether higher-earning parents should also benefit from state funds.

If passed, the bill could trigger an influx of students to Catholic schools, the largest private school network in Texas. According to Helen Osman, communications consultant for the Texas Catholic Conference, there are 240 Catholic schools in the state educating approximately 62,000 students, but they have room for 25,000 more.

“This legislation would give more families access to Catholic education, allowing parents to exercise their fundamental right and responsibility to find the best education for their children,” Osman told CNA. 

In recent guidance, the state’s bishops said the bill meets key criteria they support, such as accreditation-based accountability, strong religious liberty protections, and a focus on aiding low-income families.

Despite that endorsement, critics worry about the bill’s impact on public schools, which rely heavily on attendance-based state funding. If families move their children to private or home-based education, fewer dollars remain for the 5.5 million students in the public system. 

Lawmakers on the left argue that wealthier Texans stand to benefit disproportionately, while supporters insist that today’s inflationary climate affects a wide range of households. 

Home-schoolers could also benefit

Home-schoolers who opt in to the program would receive $2,000 per student. Anita Scott, education policy director for the Texas Home School Coalition, told CNA in an interview that parents appreciate the financial relief.

When asked about those home schooling families wary of a potential increase of state oversight, she said they’ve “been invited to the table to make sure the bill is functional for home-schoolers.” 

“If parents are still uncomfortable, they can opt out. Families want to be in charge of what’s placed in front of their children. They deserve that freedom, whether or not they take state funds,” Scott said.

Meanwhile, conservative advocates, including Mandy Drogin of Next Generation Texas, say these education savings accounts would not siphon money from public school coffers. 

“So first off, the money for the education savings account does not come from any education-related funding,” Drogin said. “It’s from state revenue funds, especially the surplus, and does not in any way remove or defund the public schools.” Proponents also argue the competition will elevate academic quality for all students.

The House plan differs from the Senate bill, which establishes a flat voucher amount rather than pegging it to public school funding. Both proposals prioritize children with disabilities and expand home-based education support, but lawmakers must reconcile those differences if they intend to finalize a single policy.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who has made “school choice” a central priority this session, predicts a final compromise before the legislative term ends in June.

Nationally, Catholic leaders are also backing the Educational Choices for Children Act (ECCA), a federal bill offering $10 billion in tax credits to donors who fund K–12 scholarships. They view it as another avenue to help low- and middle-income families afford private education, especially in states restricted by “anti-Catholic” Blaine amendments.

Two years ago, voucher bills floundered in the Texas House. This year, more lawmakers appear open to ESAs, thanks to retirements and electoral changes that have brought additional supporters into the chamber. Many see this shift as pivotal in moving the House bill forward.

Observers note that negotiations are likely to produce amendments, especially regarding details such as special education funding or income-based priorities.

Should legislators vote it into law, the program would become one of the country’s most expansive voucher-style initiatives, lauded by supporters as a boon for educational freedom and criticized by opponents as a drain on local school budgets. 

With the political momentum behind school choice stronger than it has been in years, the debate over whether affluent Texans should tap taxpayer-funded ESAs remains a key sticking point — and one that could shape the future of education in Texas for years to come.

null / Credit: Orhan Cam/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 24, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Three U.S. representatives have introduced a bill that supports American taxpayers who choose to participate in health sharing, a care option favored by Christians and pro-lifers for its religious freedom protections.

If passed, the Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act would designate health sharing payments as tax deductable, alleviating costs for families who opt for health sharing over traditional health coverage, many of whom do so for religious reasons. The act was introduced by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania; Greg Murphy, R-North Carolina; and Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.

“Unfairly, Americans have been historically penalized by the tax code when they chose to use faith-based health care sharing ministries to meet their health care needs. The Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act will remedy this problem, ensuring Americans are no longer disadvantaged by the tax code for their religious beliefs,” Smith said in a press release on March 14.

Health sharing became a popular alternative to mainstream insurance coverage over a decade ago with the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which included a mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requiring insurance plans to fund contraception, sterilizations, and early abortion pills.

The practice allows members to pool their money and pay for each other’s health care costs, similar to traditional insurance plans.

Legal disputes over religious freedom violations that precipitated from the Affordable Care Act continue today, with the Supreme Court set to hear a case in June regarding a part of the law governing preventative care.

“Americans should have choices when it comes to their health care. For many families, traditional insurance is a great option. For some, however, particularly people of faith, alternative options such as health care sharing ministries more closely align with their values,” Kelly said in the release.

“This legislation preserves that choice for families by allowing them to deduct payments made as part of their ministry membership in their taxes by classifying regular ministry expenses as medical care expenses,” he added. “It’s time we focus on initiatives that reintroduce freedom and dignity back to our health care system.”

Solidarity HealthShare collaborated with the three congressmen on the legislation. Founded in 2012 in wake of the Affordable Care Act, Solidarity HealthShare facilitates health sharing among individuals and families across the country who are looking to opt out of traditional insurance for a more faith-centered option.

“Solidarity is grateful for the leadership and support of Congressman Mike Kelly and his team, who have consistently taken the lead in working for tax parity for health care sharing ministry members,” Solidarity HealthShare President Chris Faddis and CEO Brad Hahn told CNA in a statement.

“His introduction of the Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act has the potential to be a game changer for families who have chosen to escape the troubled landscape of traditional health insurance but have been unable to benefit from tax deductions available to other Americans,” the executives added.

“This bill is the culmination of an industry-wide effort to provide tax relief to members of health care sharing ministries,” they said, adding: “We are also thankful for the support of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing and other health care sharing ministry partners for advancing this effort.”

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy in a March 20, 2025, interview on “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” shares how his family and Catholic faith have sustained him during his extraordinarily intense first months as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. / Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/EWTN News screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 22, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

Sean Duffy shared how his family and Catholic faith have sustained him during his extraordinarily intense first months as U.S. secretary of transportation. 

Despite the major challenges he has faced in the role, Duffy said: “I think that when you’re called to service and called in times of crisis, you don’t do it by yourself … you have someone walking with you, and it’s important to tap into your faith.”

In an interview with EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” on March 20, Duffy discussed the horrific airplane crashes in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia earlier this year. He told Arroyo that the devastating losses “put in focus the mission of the department is safety.” 

“It was not the way we anticipated our tenure starting out,” he said. “I talked to a number of the families from the DCA [Reagan National Airport] crash who lost loved ones. And if you can prevent that, if you can have policies in place that save future lives, I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen.”

Duffy said the DCA crash “was really day number one” for him and he was thrown into the job at a critical time. 

He shared that the crash has led to the banning of military aircraft operations within the sphere of Reagan National Airport. “But,” he said, “the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] could have seen the data before.”

“Sometimes it’s easy to look back and see data as opposed to looking forward. We’re using AI [artificial intelligence] tools to analyze the data and see other hotspots to make sure that we don’t miss anything moving forward.”

Duffy said the tragic midair collision made the Department of Transportation “look at the system as a whole,” and the goal is to “fix the system before we lose lives.”

Duffy shared future department plans and addressed the negative response he received after he said that he will prioritize transportation work in areas that have the largest populations, specifically those with high marriage rates.

“It’s common sense,” Duffy said. “Where people get married and where people have kids is where we’re going to seek growth. Where you seek growth, you’ll need roads and bridges. This is one consideration I said we’re going to look at because, again, family formation and having kids is where you’ll need infrastructure.”

Family and faith

Duffy, who is a husband and father of nine children, highlighted the importance of family during this time in his life.

When Duffy was asked to take on the secretary role, he first spoke with his family. “I talked to my kids about it,” he said, “and we walked through what does the schedule look like? How does my time at home change with this new job?”

Duffy said his hours are extensive, working 12 to 14 hours a day or if in crisis, through the night. “But it is the best work because you know what we do? We truly do impact people’s lives. How people move, how fast they get home to their loved ones, how safely they travel.”

“So my kids have been incredibly supportive,” he said.

“By the way,” he continued, “public service — it’s not just the individual that serves, families serve. It’s a family commitment to do these jobs, and it is an amazing honor to serve in this president’s cabinet.”

Duffy said it is not only his family that sustains him during his long, sometimes distressing, days but also his faith. He told Arroyo: “My faith is very important to me.”

“I bought a place that’s right near a Catholic church, and I was looking at a number of places and decided, this is probably the place.”

Duffy concluded the interview addressing a viral video of him and his family praying the Hail Mary before his confirmation hearing.

“I just thought, we’re going to take this moment to say the Hail Mary before we walk in, because there’s a lot of bad things that are happening. There’s a lot of forces that are at play, and I want to make sure I’m with the right force,” he said. “I’m going to walk the right line, and that means I have to remain centered, which means I have to be focused on my faith.”

Genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament. / Credit: ACI Prensa

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 22, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, explained one of the expressions of reverence Catholics make in church — genuflection — and why they make this sign.

In a video posted on X, the cardinal commented that this past St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, a woman who stopped to talk to him after Mass told him that, although she is not Catholic, she loves the Church and enjoys attending Mass but doesn’t understand the various postures people take. The cardinal then decided to explain them to his viewers, beginning with genuflection.

“Here’s the first posture that we Catholics always do. When we come into church, we look for the tabernacle, where the real presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is reposed, and we genuflect!” the archbishop of New York explained.

“We go down on one knee. We genuflect. Why? That’s the ancient sign of adoration, the ancient sign of esteem, the ancient sign of worship,” he continued.

The cardinal pointed out that “when you hear the name of Jesus, every knee on earth and in heaven should bend, as St. Paul taught. That’s genuflection — we do it to Jesus, really and truly present in the most Blessed Sacrament.”

“I’m afraid that beautiful tradition of genuflection to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament may have faded a little," that cardinal noted. “We can’t let that happen; it’s a great act of devotion.”

In conclusion, Dolan recalled that “St. Thomas Aquinas said: ‘You know what? Satan doesn’t have knees because he genuflects to no one.’ Well we do. We genuflect to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.”

No. 274 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal specifies “a genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the holy cross” on Good Friday.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

A previous class of St. Kateri Rosary Walk interns. / Credit: Courtesy of St. Kateri Rosary Walk

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mar 22, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

A New Mexico diocese is offering a unique opportunity for young men to affirm their faith and literally build up the Church in the American Southwest.

Until March 31, the Diocese of Gallup is accepting applications for the 2025 St. Kateri Rosary Walk internship program. Started in 2019, the program is finishing its building project and seeks to complete an outdoor plaza and chapel in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the saint known as the Lily of the Mohawks, St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

The internship is available to young men 18 and over and runs from May until Aug. 1. The missionaries will receive free housing, meals, travel to various local sites, and a stipend of $5,000.

William McCarthy, CEO of the Southwest Indian Foundation, which is cooperating with the program, told CNA that the program “provides intense leadership training to encourage manliness and Catholic faith to last a lifetime,” adding that “the men who come here will build a beautiful, lasting shrine for Our Lady and St. Kateri.”

Bishop James Wall of Gallup is on the board of the nonprofit guiding the project and serves as a chaplain to the interns. The men working on the project live at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center and receive spiritual and academic formation. They also have time for visits and travel to enrich their appreciation of the traditions and natural world of the region.

The first Native American saint who resided in what became the United States, Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in present-day New York state. She consecrated her life to Christ despite persecution by her own people.

According to the program website, “her near-daily walks through nature became a powerful symbol of the beauty of life. Kateri found comfort in her constant prayer and meditation along with her deep belief that even in hardships, God was always present.”

“Our program is based on three essential elements: One is physical, challenging these guys and getting them into great shape with labor and medical attention. Another is spiritual, which is more important, and a somewhat monastic life. They pray in the morning and evening, have daily Mass, and are plugged into Catholic prayer life. The third feature is the mentors and speakers all summer. There’s also a lot of music,” McCarthy said.

The interns are required to surrender their electronic devices during the week but are allowed to use them on Sundays. “This is a unique opportunity for a young man,” McCarthy noted.

Scope of project

Once completed, the St. Kateri Rosary Walk will feature four trails representing the mysteries of the rosary. Along each trail are five “nichos” or shrines made from traditional adobe and stucco construction typical of the Southwest. Each of them will feature one of the mysteries of the rosary made of tile conceived by a native artist as well as sacred images. 

Victoria Begay, a member of the Diné or Navajo people, serves as interim director of the rosary walk. In an interview with CNA, she stressed that the project melds Native American reverence of creation with a strong Catholic faith. 

“We want to strengthen our relationship with God and we are bringing native and Catholic values together in one place, providing a profound spiritual experience for everyone who comes through, whether from North America or the rest of the world,” Begay said. 

The site is on a hill overlooking Gallup and offers vistas for miles around, including the extensive Navajo reservation. Begay said it offers a natural place to pray, and noted: “That’s what Kateri did. She left her backyard and walked where there were trees and nature. We’d like to provide that space for everyone to experience creation, to meditate, to pray.” 

Dividends of participating

Joseph Meyers, a recent college graduate from Kansas City, Kansas, told CNA that he spent two summers working on the rosary walk. “It’s still nourishing me to this day,” said Meyers, who plans to attend law school. 

Meyers said he and his comrades spent each day of the week working hard on construction but with time in the evenings and weekends for hiking and exploring as a group.

“It is a male formation experience: no phones, no tech, no distractions, not a lot of comfort. We’re at a time in the world and the Church where masculinity is in crisis. The things holding men back are basic things like comfort, distraction, isolation, and addiction, which is the worst,” Meyers said.

Invigorated prayer life, he said, was encouraged by group prayer, Scripture study, and liturgies, which were coupled with physical challenges. For Meyers, the experience was life-changing.

“People didn’t recognize me when I came back. I was lean and brown and fit. All of the guys needed something like this and walked away as different people than when they came in,” he recalled. “It is sort of a Catholic school of hard knocks for young guys who are on a mission, and it’s super awesome.”

Among the fruits of the program are enduring friendships and at least two religious vocations, Meyers said.

“We go to each other’s weddings. There’s a brotherhood bond because we grew up together” on the rosary walk, Meyers said. “We stay in touch, we’re tight. It’s good because it’s what you need: communities of guys who have serious bonds and help each other do good in the world.”