Federal contraception law upsets Catholic colleges

Bay Area Catholic colleges are joining schools nationwide to fight a federal law requiring new health plans to cover birth control, saying the rule violates their right to oppose contraception.

Dozens of schools and organizations have opposed the provision in the federal Affordable Care Act. The law, which would take effect Aug. 1, 2012, exempts some churches from including contraceptive coverage in the health care plans they offer, but not colleges or other religious groups.

Several Bay Area colleges -- including Saint Mary's College, the University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University -- wrote letters of opposition to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department before a comment period on the law ended Sept. 30. Their resistance comes despite the fact they are required by California law to cover contraception for employees, and sometimes students. More: Cintra Costa Times 

Go Purple Tomorrow: Show Your Spirit

Millions of Americans, including Chaz Bono, Cyndi Lauper, Julianne Moore,  and Mia Farrow, will observe tomorrow, October 20, as Spirit Day and wear purple clothing as a sign of support for LGBT youth and to speak out against bullying. 

The movement was launched last year by teenager Brittany McMillan as a response to an epidemic of young people who took their own lives as a result of bullying. Tomorrow individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, media professionals, and celebrities will wear purple — the symbol of spirit on the rainbow flag. 

It's easy to get participate. Here are a few easy-to-follow suggestions from The Advocate:

Wear purple.

Create a purple photo for Facebook. Click here for instructions.

Create a purple photo for Twitter. Click here for instructions.

For more information on how you can get involved, visit GLAAD.org.

Watch Chaz Bono, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Naya Rivera, and Shaquille O'Neal speak out against bullying in the video below, as well as other celebrities at The Advocate. .

PA Supreme Court Rejects Duncan's Appeal

The former Episcopal Bishop of Pittsburgh writes: 


"Pennsylvania Supreme Court has been rejected. We accept that the courts have not found in our favor and will, of course, comply with all court orders.

We remain committed to reaching a negotiated settlement with the Episcopal Church diocese. In light of this judgment by the courts, we will redouble that commitment to reaching a final resolution of all issues between the Episcopal Church diocese and the Anglican diocese through negotiation."

See also the court document (PDF).

See also the 

How we can reject the Anglican Covenant with a little help from our friends

Here's what we have to do to pass the resolution expressing disapproval of the proposed Anglican Convenant proposal during this weekend's Diocesan Convention : 

 

1. First thing, we will need to add the resolution to the agenda (requires a 2/3 majority). We need you - or those representing you at Convention - to vote to add this resolution to the agenda.  
2. When the Convention brakes those interested in this resolution will meet in the nave of Grace Cathedral. We need you - or those representing you at Convention - to join us.   
3. Around 4 p.m. the resolution will come up for consideration and a vote (if we have the 2/3 majority required to add it to the agenda). We need you - or those representing you at Convention - to stay and vote for it.
   
    The full text of the revised resolution is here: it now reflects comments and suggestions from folks in our Deaneries and other leaders of our church from around the Bay Area. 

The full text of the DioCal Deputation covenant conversation summary is here. 

Hard copies of both the resolution and summary 

will be distributed to all delegates Saturday Morning. 

Questions: contact Oasis California President the Rev. Tom Jackson at the Convention Friday night or Saturday. 

Illinois Catholic Charities Adoption Battle: New Bill Would Allow Church To Not Serve Same-Sex Couples

llinois State Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) on Wednesday filed legislation that would amend the state's civil union law to allow Catholic Charities to continue to license foster and adoptive parents without serving same-sex couples.

McCarter's proposal, SB2495, would amend the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, signed into law in January, to allow faith-based agencies like Catholic Charities to decline to provide foster care and adoption services to applicants who "would constitute a violation of the organization's sincerely held religious beliefs" and refer them to other agencies.More @ Huff Post.    So would this bill allow Church groups that believe in white supremacy based on the Bible to reject all non-white candidates? 

House Argues Gays And Lesbians Not Entitled To Same Protections As Minorities

 Gays and lesbians are not entitled to the same heightened legal protection and scrutiny against discrimination as racial minorities and women in part because they are far from politically powerless and have ample ability to influence lawmakers, lawyers for a U.S. House of Representatives group said in a federal court filing.

The filing Friday in San Francisco's U.S. District Court comes in a lesbian federal employee's lawsuit that claims the government wrongly denied health insurance coverage to her same-sex spouse. Karen Golinski says the law under which her spouse was denied benefits – the Defense of Marriage Act – violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection. MORE @ Huff Post

Zim's church horror: 'Homosexuals must die'

The pews are often virtually empty on Sunday mornings at Harare's St Mary's and All Saints Anglican cathedrals, but this is Bishop Nolbert Kunonga's "throne" and he is prepared to defend it with violence. ...Kunonga regards the cathedral as a prized asset among hundreds of church properties he has taken over in a fight that has demonstrated the impunity enjoyed by President Robert Mugabe's allies. ... Also last Sunday, 15 000 members of the rival faction led by Bishop Chad Gandiya were attending a mass held by Williams in a sports arena. Kunonga rustled up a crowd of women, who marched outside the cathedral where he was preaching to denounce Williams. One placard read: "Homosexuals must die."

It is Kunonga's central claim: the church is at risk of being overrun by homosexuals and he alone stands in its defence.  MORE