As America nears its 250th anniversary, fierce disputes over religion in public life increasingly stem from a widely accepted myth: that the First Amendment erected a rigid "wall of separation," forcing government to shun any cooperation, accommodation, or recognition of religion. This narrative, pushed by judges, advocacy groups, and cultural lore, treats religion like radioactive waste [...]
On January 16, President Donald Trump forever declared this day to be Religious Freedom Day, honoring the central place that religion has played in anchoring our freedoms. He specifically cited the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was codified on January 16, 1786; it is the foundation of the First Amendment. Only someone who holds an [...]
Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old British citizen and convert to Catholicism, was sentenced in Hong Kong on February 9 to twenty years in prison for protesting human rights abuses in China. He was accused of being the "mastermind" of protests against the Communist regime. He was arrested in 2020 under a new law that restricted freedom of [...]
The attempt to discriminate against Christians at a cooperative apartment complex in Westchester County, New York failed. Those who run the cooperative allowed the display of a menorah in the common area, but not a nativity scene. They failed because we intervened. What makes this story so bizarre is that the same issue took place last [...]
In early December, before we erected our nativity scene in Central Park, Bill Donohue told the staff that this was the first time in 30 years that we have displayed our crèche that he was concerned it may not be safe. Regrettably, he was right. On December 26, a video was posted on Instagram showing a [...]
William A. Donohue It is an understatement to say that the Catholic League will miss Cardinal Timothy Dolan—he is a very special man. He always fought for justice, and his amiable character won the applause of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He was certainly very kind to me. We met for the first time on April 15, [...]
Portland, Oregon had a hard time handling Christmas in 2025. Bill Donohue sent the following letter to Portland Mayor Keith Wilson on December 2. I understand you presided over the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Pioneer Courthouse Square on November 28. But for some reason— phobia? bigotry?—the word "Christmas" was omitted. This creates a dilemma for [...]
Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith is the author of Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America. Of course, the demise of religion has long been predicted, yet it never seems to die. A new Pew Research Center survey shows that after a "prolonged period of religious decline," conditions have stabilized, and this [...]
Florida is supposed to be a mostly conservative state, but there are pockets of resistance. What happened at Christmas in Pensacola and St. Petersburg was despicable. Here is an excerpt of what Bill Donohue wrote to officials in both cities on December 1. Next month we will celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Imagine having [...]
Kansas City, Missouri City Manager Mario Vasquez censored Christmas by forbidding the display of a nativity scene in City Hall. Bill Donohue set him straight when he distorted the issue. Here is the text of his December 12 letter. You will not be working on Christmas Day. You have the day off. That is because Kansas [...]
