This week on Faith On Trial

 This week’s podcast: https://faith-on-trial.simplecast.com/

 

Catholic fired for refusing covid shot wins millions in court

“A Michigan woman who was fired after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine because of her ‘sincerely held’ Catholic beliefs has just won a massive lawsuit,” The Blaze reports. Lisa Domski was awarded “nearly $13 million after she was terminated from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan on account of her refusal to take the shots.” READ

Catholics donate generously for hurricane victims

The Diocese of Raleigh has donated more than $489,000 to support relief efforts in the Diocese of Charlotte following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Russell Elmayan, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer for the Diocese of Raleigh, explained that the response was fueled by the shared bonds of North Carolinians who have faced similar disasters.  READ

Pennsylvania Education Department Rescinds “Woke” Curriculum Standards in Lawsuit Settlement

 Settlement Agreement Marks Clear Victory for Pennsylvania Educators, Families, and School Districts

 Pittsburgh -- As part of a November 13, 2024, settlement agreement secured by Thomas More Society attorneys in a lawsuit filed on behalf of Pennsylvania school districts, educators, and families, against the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the state’s education department has agreed to rescind its “Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines,” or CR-SE. Under the terms of the agreement, all public schools, school districts, charter schools, and other school entities across the state will no longer be required to implement or comply with the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s previously issued CR-SE guidelines.

 

First issued in November 2022, Pennsylvania’s CR-SE guidelines sought to mandate that educators affirm and impose on their students highly ideological beliefs about contentious social and political issues. This required  educators throughout Pennsylvania to make acknowledgments of the “biases [that] exist in the education system,” “microagressions,” and “unconscious biases,” among other ideologically tinted points. Examples of ideological standards in the CR-SE guidelines include mandates that educators:

 

·         “Believe and acknowledge that microaggressions are real and take steps to educate themselves about the subtle and obvious ways in which they are used to harm and invalidate the existence of others...”

·         “Disrupt harmful institutional practices, policies, and norms by advocating and engaging in efforts to rewrite policies, change practices, and raise awareness...”

·         “Engage in critical and difficult conversations with others to deepen their awareness of their own conscious/unconscious biases, stereotypes, and prejudices...”

·         “Design learning experiences and spaces for learners to identify and question economic, political, and social power structures in the school, community, nation, and world.”

 

Thomas More Society attorneys originally filed suit in April 2023 on behalf of three public school districts and a group of parents and students, arguing that the guidelines violated the First Amendment and were issued in violation of state regulatory law.

 

Thomas Breth, Thomas More Society Special Counsel, reacted: “We are incredibly pleased with this settlement agreement, which forces the Pennsylvania Department of Education to rescind the state’s ‘Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education’ guidelines—securing an important victory for Pennsylvania parents, students, and teachers. Our agreement is a triumph against the Department’s blatantly ideological and illegal attempt to inject ‘woke’ activism into school curricula across Pennsylvania, which demanded educators affirm their belief in these ideological tenets and then impose the same upon their students.”

Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Executive Vice President & Head of Litigation, stated: “Educational standards should help students learn how to think, not what they must believe. This victory against Pennsylvania’s ‘woke’ curriculum mandate restores that opportunity for Pennsylvania families and teachers. Pennsylvania’s CR-SE curriculum guidelines commanded to students what they must believe and unconstitutionally compelled teachers to pledge loyalty to an ideological program.”

Read the Mediated Settlement Agreement, issued November 13, 2024, in Laurel School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., submitted by Thomas More Society attorneys in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, here.

About Thomas More Society

Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and freedom. Headquartered in Chicago and with offices across the country, Thomas More Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. For more information, please visit thomasmoresociety.org.

Report from the Iowa Catholic Conference

Republicans will return next year to the Iowa Capitol with an increased number of seats. In the Senate, Republicans will have 35 members, an increase of one, compared to 15 for the Democrats. In the House, it’s looking like Republicans will have 67 seats, a gain of three, with 33 Democratic members. 

The 91st session of the General Assembly will begin on Jan. 13, 2025. You can click here for a comprehensive resource about how the legislature functions.

State ballot initiatives of interest

Ballot measures extending the right to legal abortion passed in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New York, and Nevada. In Florida, a measure extending legal abortion to 24 weeks failed to meet the state’s 60% threshold. Pro-abortion rights measures were defeated in South Dakota and Nebraska.

On the issue of school choice, it appears that Nebraskans voted to end its state-funded private school student scholarship program, and school choice initiatives lost in Kentucky and Colorado.

Arizona voters approved a ballot measure that is similar to Iowa’s new “illegal re-entry” immigration law. While the Iowa law is not currently in effect, a federal circuit court considering its constitutionality is expected to render a decision during the next few months.

West Virginia passed a constitutional amendment banning assisted suicide.

The Constitution of Iowa does not provide for citizen ballot initiatives.

U.S. bishops’ president calls for prayers and unity following the presidential election

Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a statement following the results of the presidential election. 

Archbishop Broglio’s statement follows:

“In the United States, we are fortunate to live in a democracy and yesterday Americans went to the polls to choose who should lead our country as the next President of the United States. I congratulate President-elect Trump, as well as the national, state and local officials who campaigned to represent the people. Now, we move from campaigning to governing. We rejoice in our ability to transition peacefully from one government to the next.

“The Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference. No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged, and we bishops look forward to working with the people’s elected representatives to advance the common good of all. As Christians, and as Americans, we have the duty to treat each other with charity, respect, and civility, even if we may disagree on how to carry out matters of public policy. As a Nation blessed with many gifts we must also be concerned for those outside our borders and eager to offer assistance to all.

“Let us pray for President-elect Trump, as well as all leaders in public life, that they may rise to meet the responsibilities entrusted to them as they serve our country and those whom they represent. Let us ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the patroness of our nation, that she guide to uphold the common good of all and promote the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the poor, the stranger, the elderly and infirm, and migrants.”

COP 29 convenes

Consider the impact of climate change policies on the poor and vulnerable, said bishop chairmen who lead committees of the USCCB that address climate policy. The two bishops were joined by the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). In advance of the gathering of world leaders in Azerbaijan for the United Nations’ annual meeting on climate, COP29, Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, and Mr. Sean Callahan released a statement calling on delegates and policymakers attending the meeting to remember the poor and vulnerable in their deliberations.

The statement said, in part, “The poor and vulnerable suffer the brunt of intensifying disasters, which is why adopting effective adaptation investment strategies is a matter of justice. While resources and proven technologies to withstand many natural and man-made disasters already exist, sadly these are often a privilege for the wealthy.”

And finally,

Today we observe Veteran’s Day – thanks to all those who served!

Fired FEMA employee says higher-ups responsible

After being fired from FEMA for directing relief workers to avoid homes with Trump signs on them, former supervisor Marn’i Washington told an interviewer that higher-ups at FEMA were the source of that policy. Washington also suggested that the practice took place not only in Florida – as was widely reported – but also in the Carolinas.  READ

Left-leaning networks see ratings ‘nosedive’ after election

In the week since Trump won the election, CNN and MSNBC have seen their ratings plummet as both left-leaning cable news channels brace for possible future changes. On Tuesday, The Daily Mail reported that MSNBC’s post-election “nosedive” in ratings “comes as commentators and analysts continue to discuss the result - often with rants laced with ire toward the conservative.”  READ

Trump announces plan to reform public education

President-elect Trump has vowed to shepherd sweeping changes to public education during his second term, announcing an education policy plan that includes supporting school choice for all parents, allowing school prayer, and abolishing the controversial U.S. Department of Education.  READ

This week on Faith On Trial

 Faith On Trial podcast: https://faith-on-trial.simplecast.com/

Media scrutinized over coverage of Trump’s Cheney remarks

A chorus of observers on Friday called out corporate media sources for attempting to construe as a threat of violence Trump’s criticism of former Rep. Liz Cheney’s, R-WY, interventionist foreign policy stance. Trump had suggested – and repeated later when asked to clarify – that “warhawks” like Cheney should be given a rifle and made to face the same battles into which they send young Americans.  READ

Trump promises tax breaks for homeschooling parents

Former President Donald Trump has promised homeschooling parents tax relief on their education costs, up to $10,000 per year per child. In a video posted on X, Trump stated, “When I am reelected, I will do everything I can to support parents who make the courageous choice of homeschool.”  READ

Martin Scorsese series on Catholic saints coming to TV

The first four episodes of a docudrama series detailing the lives of eight saints will be released in partnership with Fox Nation on November 17, providing a way to celebrate the month that begins with the Feast of All Saints. Titled “Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints,” the docuseries is hosted, narrated, and produced by the filmmaker himself.  READ

NBC's "Law & Order" Portrays Pro-Life People as Terrorist Bombers

NBC's "Law & Order" Portrays Pro-Life People as Terrorist Bombers

Can Harris Sell Churchgoers on Abortion and Sexual Immorality?

By Joshua Arnold

Presidential candidate Kamala Harris continued her efforts to woo churchgoers on Sunday, with an appearance at the Church of Christian Compassion in Philadelphia. Her last-minute, “souls-to-the-polls” campaign in historically black churches comes as up to 40 million self-identified Christians plan not to vote in the upcoming election, according to a recent George Barna survey. Harris’s church-focused push began three days after she ejected two rallygoers who exclaimed, “Jesus is Lord.”

The Harris campaign has struggled to sell churchgoing voters on their candidate, in large part due to the fact that they lack a product this audience wants. “The sole issue that Kamala Harris has been running on” is abortion, said David Closson, director of Family Research Council’s Center for Biblical Worldview, on “Washington Watch” Friday. “This really is the only issue [on which] she has been consistent and clear and energetic.”

At a characteristic rally in Texas on Friday, Harris took the stage with pop megastar Beyonce “where pretty much … the main issue that they campaigned on is abortion,” Closson described. “In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first nominee to come out publicly and say she would be in favor of getting rid of the Hyde Amendment,” he added. But “Hillary Clinton’s position on abortion looks tame in comparison to the Harris-Walz ticket. They are the most ardent, energetic [abortion] supporters … to ever run for president and vice president of the United States.”

Harris underscored her commitment to absolute abortion in a recent sit-down interview with NBC’s Hallie Jackson. When Jackson asked what concessions Harris would consider as president to win codified abortion protections from a hypothetical Republican-controlled Congress, Harris first avoided the question so obviously that Jackson asked the question again, “So [it’s] a question of pragmatism then: What concessions would be on the table? Religious exemptions, for example, is that something that you would consider?” Harris finally replied, “I don’t think we should be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body.”

The question was designed as an easy lay-up. Harris was given an opportunity to position herself as a pragmatic, bipartisan negotiator, while at the same time planting a flag for hypothetical negotiations next year. On the second pass, Jackson lowered the difficulty further, signaling that this was a “question of pragmatism” and proposing an example of a relatively painless concession that Harris could latch onto. Yet Harris refused to budge even an inch.

“In one sense, she’s been consistent,” responded Closson. “When she was a senator, she voted against the Pain-Capable Act that would have provided protections for babies when they can feel pain. She voted against a piece of legislation that would provide legal protections for babies who survive botched abortions.”

“If Harris is in the Oval Office on January 20th, the abortion lobby will have the most energetic supporter that they have ever had,” he added. “Clearly, according to Kamala Harris, even our first freedom is not as important as the sacrament of abortion. … Abortion has been elevated to this almost quasi-religious position in the modern-day Democratic Party.”

Abortion is the lead role in a cast encompassing the entire Sexual Revolution. Closson noted how Harris and other progressives in Congress support the poorly named Equality Act, a bill “that would prioritize these contested claims of sexual orientation and gender identity” so that they would take precedence “whenever they come into conflict with a religious liberty claim.” When Harris first ran for president in 2019, she wrote on a candidate questionnaire that gender “transition treatment” was “a medical necessity,” which taxpayers should fund for prisoners and illegal immigrants in federal custody.

This issue is less popular than abortion, so it isn’t one Harris likes to talk about. Yet Jackson gave Harris an opportunity to stake out a more moderate position in this election, asking, “Do you believe that transgender Americans should have access to gender-affirming care in this country?” Harris responded, “I believe we should follow the law.” Again, Jackson gently pressed and Harris again deflected, “I’m not going to put myself in the position of a doctor.”

The sexual libertinism of the Harris campaign’s closing pitch is underscored by a pro-pornography advertisement that Democrat-aligned super-PACs intend to run in the seven key swing states in the final week before Election Day. In a desperate attempt to scoop up disinclined male voters, the ad suggests that Republican politicians will ban pornography. (This is untrue; some GOP-controlled state legislators have merely required age verification to prevent minors — that is, non-voters — from accessing pornographic sites.)

Can you imagine if Harris brought this pitch to the pulpit? “Vote a blue ticket. We’ll keep porn legal.” The parents training their 10-year-olds to pay attention during “Big Church” would be outraged. Miss Tamara, the semi-retired potluck hostess in the stylish hat, might faint right there in the pews. But the recently divorced young women — perhaps some with children — whose ex-husbands refused to kill their sinful addiction might be the most grieved of all. These are, admittedly, stereotypes; in reality, a shift in trends means that young men are more likely to be in church than young women.

“It’s really frightening how many of these issues directly oppose biblical teaching,” responded Family Research Council Action President Jody Hice. “And they’re entrenched and embracing those things.”

“We just need to be really clear as Christians,” declared Closson. “There are issues of clear biblical morality on the ballot: abortion, sexuality, marriage, a host of other issues.” The Bible addresses these fundamental moral issues in multiple places, but Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth may be the most succinct: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

“Why do we care about politics? Why do we need to be out there voting?” Closson continued. “One, a love of neighbor. … Can you say that you comprehensively love your neighbor if you’re not engaging in the process that affects our basic rights and liberties and our freedoms?” A second reason, he added, is stewardship. “God calls us to be faithful stewards of everything he’s entrusted us with. And I think for those of us … who live in the United States … we need to be good stewards of our vote.”

It’s clear that Vice President Harris is making a pitch for churchgoing voters. It’s less clear whether it will succeed. It may come down to whether churchgoers want to buy the vision of America that Harris is selling. After Harris’s second deflection on the question of abortion concessions, NBC interviewer Jackson gave a response that may prove ominously fitting, “I will move on. But I don’t know that I heard a clear answer from you on the issue.”

Joshua Arnold is a senior writer at The Washington Stand.

Missouri Amendment 3: So-Called “Fact Checkers” are Wrong

(Jefferson City, Missouri) Thomas More Society attorneys are pushing back against the so-called “fact checkers” trying to cast doubt on the predictions of Missouri Senator Josh Hawley and Governor Mike Parson that proposed Amendment 3 would reverse the Show-Me State’s prohibition on gender transition surgeries for children, and other controversial procedures. The Thomas More Society has released a “decoder” document to highlight the legal principles that Missouri judges would be bound to apply when interpreting the proposal’s troubling open-ended language. Senior Counsel Mary Catherine Martin authored the piece to help voters read the amendment for themselves and understand its grave consequences. Martin argued before the Missouri Supreme Court in the lawsuit seeking to remove Amendment 3 from the ballot and she has been giving interviews across Missouri to educate voters on the amendment.

 

The document takes on the “fact checkers” by explaining that Hawley and Parsons are right, because Amendment 3’s new right to “all matters relating to reproductive health care” necessarily encompasses transgender interventions, including those for minor children. The Thomas More Society notes that statements from other sources, including the United States Office of Civil Rights, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Planned Parenthood, also support the Hawley/Parsons interpretation. The “decoder” further lays out how this understanding is supported by the plain text of the amendment and by Missouri Supreme Court precedent interpreting the words used in Amendment 3.

 

According to the “decoder,” Amendment 3’s removal of restrictions on “all matters relating to reproductive health care” would not just require Missouri courts to invalidate the state’s current prohibition on transgender surgeries for minors but similarly sanction all other reproductive technologies, including those yet to be discovered. It also highlights how the text of Amendment 3 makes the “right to reproductive freedom” a “super-right,” above every other right, even superseding the rights of parents to guide their children’s health care. And the “decoder” shows that the Missouri proposal is the most radical in the country, going far beyond merely removing regulations on abortion.

 

The “decoder” walks voters through the language in Amendment 3, which would disrupt Missouri’s laws requiring parental consent for minors receiving “reproductive health care,” prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion, and allowing single-sex bathrooms and sports teams. The Thomas More Society encourages Missouri voters to interpret the actual text of the Amendment 3 proposal for themselves, to cut through political rhetoric and vote their ballot with informed confidence.

 

Download Decoding Missouri Amendment 3: A Guide to Understanding the Language of Missouri's Amendment 3 Ballot Initiative here.

 

Thomas More Society Senior Counsel Mary Catherine Martin is available for interviews about Amendment 3 and the Thomas More Society’s efforts to inform the public about this dangerous measure.