Literally thousands of cases of anti-Catholicism come to the attention of the Catholic League every year. Our first job is to determine whether the alleged offense merits our scrutiny. If it does, then we must verify the authenticity of the offense to the best of our ability. If everything checks out, a strategy is outlined. This section of our annual... [Read more...]
January 13 San Diego, CA - The “Usual,” a nightclub in downtown San Diego held a “Catholic School Girl Contest.” Posters on windows of shops in downtown San Diego advertising the event offered a $200 grand prize for the “hottest Catholic school girl.” April New Albany, OH - The Spring Break 2001 catalogue of Abercrombie... [Read more...]
January 12 Milford, NY - Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court over the right of public schools to deny access to religious groups to hold religious education classes on school property after school. The court case, Good News Club v. Milford Central School, arose after the school... [Read more...]
January 24 Newburyport, MA - Newburyport Mayor Lisa Mead ordered that two bricks in a park walkway be removed. People were able to “buy” the bricks and inscribe them with a personal message as a fundraiser for a park . Of the 200 bricks purchased, the two were ordered removed after the mayor received complaints from certain offended residents.... [Read more...]
William A. Donohue This is the season of giving and give we should: to the surviving family members of the horror of 9-11; to the needy; to the disabled; to all those unable to provide for themselves. But let’s do it without the smugness that too often accompanies the giving. I say this because it’s been my experience that the people who scream... [Read more...]
On November 14, New York City Schools Chancellor Harold Levy approved a new policy that would allow school officials to designate a specific area where Muslim students could gather to pray during Ramadan. On the evening of November 15, he reversed himself saying that no such accommodation will be tolerated. The New York Post broke the initial story... [Read more...]
NobleWorks, a greeting card company from Hoboken, New Jersey, has two categories of greeting cards: “nice” and “Extra” (which they call “naughty”). There are no cards in the latter category for Ramadan, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. But there are more than a dozen tailored to Christian holidays. For example, the “Extra” selection has a Christmas... [Read more...]
The Catholic League is charging the New York City school system with discrimination against Christians. It plans to sue New York once a family with children in the New York City public schools agrees to be party to the suit; this is a requirement for the league to achieve standing. Working cooperatively with the Catholic League in this effort is... [Read more...]
On December 19, the Catholic League will erect its annual nativity scene in Central Park. It will be situated on the corner of 5th Avenue and 59th Street. The nativity scene will be blessed by Msgr. John Woolsey, pastor of St. John the Martyr in Manhattan, at 4:30 p.m. He will be joined by the Catholic League staff. William Donohue, president... [Read more...]
Gale Garriott, chief counsel of the Agency Counsel Division of the Arizona Attorney General’s office, has issued a memo banning the display of Santa Claus from areas open to the general public. In his memo of November 28, Garriott banned any items “that have a religious significance attached to them.” He personally listed Santa Claus as an... [Read more...]