BrianFragaNCR

St. John's University says it no longer recognizes faculty unions after 56 years St. John's University in Queens, New York, notified employees on Feb. 19 that it will no longer recognize the two unions that have represented faculty members at the Catholic university since 1970.

Via @bfragancr.bsky.social in NCR - St. John's University says it no longer recognizes faculty unions after 56 years. It’s the latest in a growing anti-union trend at Catholic universities.
#unions #faculty #Catholic
www.ncronline.org/news/st-john...

Migrant shelters at US-Mexico border: Fewer people coming but staying longer "People are staying much longer at the shelter, in some cases up to nine months," said Fr. Francisco Javier Bueno Guillén of the Ciudad Juárez Diocese, who serves as director general of a diocese-oper...

Via @bfragancr.bsky.social in NCR - Migrant shelters at US-Mexico border: Fewer people coming but staying longer, stranded at the border with no way in and no way back home.
#immigrants #border #Trump #Mexico
www.ncronline.org/news/migrant...

Q&A with Bishop Seitz: Immigration crackdown shows 'total disregard' for human rights "People are suffering, and the effects of that suffering will have an impact on our country too, for many years to come," Bishop Mark Seitz told NCR in an interview at his office in El Paso.

Via @bfragancr.bsky.social in NCR - Q&A with El Paso’s Bishop Seitz: Immigration crackdown shows 'total disregard' for human rights. “People are traumatized here.”
#ICE #immigration #Texas #Trump #Catholic
www.ncronline.org/news/qa-bish...

Pope to travel to Angola in 2026, nuncio says The Vatican has not officially confirmed the visit, but if the trip goes forward it would mark Leo's first visit to Africa as pope and could be his first international journey of the year.

Pope Leo XIV will travel to Angola in 2026, the Vatican's ambassador to the southern African nation said, adding yet another destination to the still-emerging slate of papal travel plans for the year.

Trump’s Desperate Attempt to Bully the Fed A criminal investigation of Jay Powell will test whether Republican loyalty to the president has any limits.

A criminal investigation of Jay Powell could test the limits of whether Trump can extend control over his party into a policy domain that matters deeply to his wealthy partisan allies, Jonathan Chait argues.

Faith leaders are denied access to immigration detainees in Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS (RNS) — The question of offering pastoral care to immigrant detainees has become a theological and legal flashpoint since President Donald Trump launched his mass deportation effort last y...

religionnews.com/2026/01/13/f... @jackjenkins.me

Federal funds pulled from Catholic Charities on US/Mexico border The organization run by Missionary Sr. Norma Pimentel has previously attracted scrutiny from conservatives who have accused agencies of promoting illegal immigration.

via @bfragancr.bsky.social - Federal funds pulled from Catholic Charities on US/Mexico border. DHS alleges "incomplete and inaccurate" record keeping.
#ICE #Texas #border #Catholic #immigrants
www.ncronline.org/news/federal...

Supreme Court justices seem skeptical of Colorado's ban on conversion therapy A majority of the court's six conservative judges questioned arguments that the state law does not infringe on freedom of speech and the First Amendment by engaging in viewpoint discrimination.

Via @bfragancr.bsky.social - “It looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.” Supreme Court justices seem skeptical of Colorado's ban on conversion therapy
#SCOTUS #LGBTQ
www.ncronline.org/news/supreme...

Yakima bishop urges federal government to release misidentified immigrant Bishop Joseph Tyson of Yakima, Washington, is calling for the release of José López, a local man who was arrested by immigration officers in mid-September. "There was a kind of racial profiling here,"...

Via @bfragancr.bsky.social - Yakima, WA bishop urges federal government to release misidentified immigrant.
"There was a kind of racial profiling here."
#ICE #immigration
www.ncronline.org/news/yakima-...

Exclusive: Pope Leo critic now says her lawyer might have had a secret agenda A lawyer seemed to have a conflict of interest when he represented sisters who claimed the future pope covered up their abuse allegations against two priests. Now, one sister says her lawyer "didn't r...

Keep asking questions, keep digging, pursue the truth without fear or favor www.ncronline.org/vatican/excl... @bfragancr.bsky.social began this investigation and @McLellan_Js went to Peru to answer questions

Most US bishops offer prayers, not calls for action, in wake of church shooting The archbishops of Chicago and Detroit echoed the prayers and condolences of fellow bishops, but also called for action to rein in gun violence in America. The bishops' conference statement fell short...

Via @bfragancr.bsky.social - Most US bishops offer typical statements after the Minneapolis shooting — but two Catholic leaders stand out for the forcefulness of their responses…
#Minneapolis #shooting #Catholic
www.ncronline.org/news/most-us...

Archdiocese of Washington, DC, faces $50M deficit, plans layoffs Cardinal Robert McElroy, installed as archbishop March 11, blames COVID-19, fallout from the Theodore McCarrick scandal, and an extended period of inflation and volatile financial markets for the shor...

NEW via @bfragancr.bsky.social - Archdiocese of Washington, DC, faces $50M deficit, plans layoffs
#Catholic #Washington
www.ncronline.org/news/archdio...

US conservative Catholics wine and dine cardinal ahead of conclave to elect the pope In the days leading up to the conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor, wealthy American business leaders, philanthropists and conservative activists have descended on Rome and Vatican City to meet, ...

In the days leading up to the conclave, a bevy of wealthy American business leaders, philanthropists and conservative activists have descended on Rome and Vatican City to meet, fete and dine with churchmen in well-heeled settings.

Read more at @ncronline.bsky.social

Supreme Court hears feisty arguments over tax funds for religious charter school The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments April 30 in a potential landmark case involving a proposed Oklahoma Catholic school that, if approved, would be the nation's first religious public charter schoo...

My coverage of today’s arguments at SCOTUS, regarding the case of a proposed Catholic charter school in Oklahoma. @ncronline.bsky.social

www.ncronline.org/news/supreme...

President Trump has issued a barrage of executive actions in the first 100 days of his term, seeking to expand the scope of his presidential power. Underlying those efforts is a nonstop distortion of basic facts. Here is a fact-check of Trump’s often-repeated claims. nyti.ms/4iIyfYe

Rev. William Barber arrested in Capitol Rotunda after praying against Republican-led budget (RNS) — While arrests of protesters at the Capitol is not unusual, the response to Barber’s prayer was unusually dramatic: After issuing verbal warnings, dozens of officers expelled everyone in the Ro...

Full story on the arrest of Rev. William Barber and two others as they prayed in the U.S. Capitol today:

“Just as Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers, so we have to be willing to put our bodies on the line,” Barber told me after he was released. religionnews.com/2025/04/28/w...

US Supreme Court to weigh in on state taxpayer support for Catholic virtual school Some legal scholars anticipate that the case, to be argued April 30, might result in a landmark ruling with far-reaching consequences for the separation of church and state.

My story today for @ncronline.bsky.social. I’ll be covering oral arguments tomorrow at the SCOTUS.

“Some legal scholars anticipate that the outcome of this case might be a landmark ruling with far-reaching consequences for the separation of church and state…”

www.ncronline.org/news/us-supr...

Catholic Charities agencies halt refugee programs in wake of US aid freeze Due to frozen federal funding, at least a dozen local Catholic Charities agencies since late January have laid off hundreds of employees, and some have begun to wind down their refugee resettlement pr...

My story today for @ncronline.bsky.social

Due to frozen federal funding, at least a dozen Catholic Charities agencies from Florida to California since late January have laid off hundreds of employees. Some have begun to wind down their refugee resettlement programs.

Democrats in Trump-won districts call on party to rebrand Democrats need to flip three seats to take back the House next year – and the path to a majority likely runs through districts President Trump carried. Democrats who won alongside Trump offer their pr...

Democrats need to flip three seats to take back the House next year – and the path to a majority likely runs through districts President Trump carried. Democrats who won alongside Trump offer their prescription for a party they say needs to make big changes.

Thank you!

“When I listen to Pope Francis, I can almost hear Romero speaking,” Julian Filochowski says in the article.

A rock solid long read on #MonseñorRomero from @bfragancr.bsky.social here. Read, learn and enjoy!

#OscarRomero #ArchbishopRomero #SanRomerodeAmérica

The miracle of Oscar Romero As attested to in the Scriptures, prophets do not arrive very often. Not too many people outside ecclesial…

On this his feast day, I'm sharing this 2018 in-depth article I wrote for Our Sunday Visitor on the legacy of St. Oscar Romero.

"Because he so faithfully lived out the Gospel, there is no example closer to Jesus that I can think of in recent history...."
www.oursundayvisitor.com/the-miracle-...

Despite court injunction, immigration agents show up at CBF ministry – Baptist News Global The situation began when a dozen law enforcement vehicles staged in the parking lot of a partner church where ESL classes are offered

Via Baptist News: Despite a court injunction specifically barring ICE agents from conducting raids at Cooperative Baptist Fellowship houses of worship (along with several Quaker groups and a Sikh temple), ICE agents appear to have shown up at one anyway. baptistnews.com/article/desp...

Thank you

Parish talk by transgender hermit rescheduled after negative comments Angry, vitriolic comments on social media prompted organizers in Lexington, Kentucky, to postpone a parish event that was to feature a talk by Br. Christian Matson, a diocesan hermit who is transgende...

My story today for @ncronline.bsky.social

Aswarm of angry, vitriolic comments on social media prompted organizers in Lexington, Kentucky, to postpone a parish event that was to feature a talk by Br. Christian Matson, a diocesan hermit who is transgender.
www.ncronline.org/news/parish-...

Bishop Michael Hunn Responds to Department of Homeland Security: Defending Our Border Ministry YouTube video by Michael Hunn

Oh: Episcopal Diocese of Rio Grande apparently received a letter from DHS suggesting they were involved in human trafficking.

In a video, Bishop Michael Hunn fervently rejects the claims and declares: "We …have been practicing our Constitutionally guaranteed faith." www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wl4...

US bishops fight latest court ruling on federal refugee funding The bishops' conference is appealing a recent court decision saying federal courts lack the authority to order the government to honor its recently terminated contracts with the bishops for refugee re...

My story today for @ncronline.bsky.social

In a March 11 ruling, which the USCCB is appealing, a judge wrote that the federal courts lack the authority to order the government to honor its recently-terminated refugee resettlement contracts w/the bishops conference
www.ncronline.org/news/us-bish...

Catholic refugee contracts canceled, risking life-saving aid in US and abroad A federal judge is weighing a U.S. bishops' lawsuit to halt cuts temporarily. The U.S. government has stiffed the bishops on $13 million owed for care for refugees before Jan. 24.

Catholic refugee contracts canceled, risking life-saving aid in US and abroad | National Catholic Reporter www.ncronline.org/news/catholi... @bfragancr.bsky.social @brianroewe.bsky.social

Catholic refugee contracts canceled, risking life-saving aid in US and abroad A federal judge is weighing a U.S. bishops' lawsuit to halt cuts temporarily. The U.S. government has stiffed the bishops on $13 million owed for care for refugees before Jan. 24.

My story today for @ncronline.bsky.social, reported w/@brianroewe.bsky.social.

"The U.S. State Department has terminated contracts for refugee-related programs with the USCCB and Jesuit Refugee Service, but attorneys for the bishops called the action unlawful...."
www.ncronline.org/news/catholi...

Brief: "Likely many refugee tenants have breached their [housing] leases due to the Refugee Funding Suspension, as most refugees have few assets when they first arrive in the U.S."