Bill Donohue comments on Macy’s funding of pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage groups:

No one should be surprised that Macy’s would be involved in promoting left wing social causes. After all, they fired a Catholic employee for simply disagreeing with their policy of allowing “transgender” men to use the women’s bathrooms (click here).

And sure enough, they have been listed as a Bronze level partner of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading crusader for same sex marriage. They’ve also supported the Tides Foundation, which promotes efforts “to shift the landscape” on gay marriage.

The Macy’s Foundation has also made direct contributions to a number of pro-abortion groups—including Planned Parenthood, which is not only the nation’s leading abortion provider, but also traffics in the sale of body parts of aborted babies.

Something to remember as the holiday season approaches, when Macy’s clamors to capitalize on the spirit of family and faith in its appeals to consumers.

Contact Macy’s Group Vice President, Holly Thomas: holly.thomas@macys.com

Bill Donohue comments on Macy’s use of offensive mannequins:

It seems that even in its use of mannequins on its display floors, Macy’s just can’t resist offending certain groups. In the summer of 2014, Macy’s department stores stirred controversy by displaying a black mannequin with an unflattering look. After many people took to social media to protest the insulting display, Macy’s stopped using it.

“We sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended, as that was absolutely not our intention,” Macy’s posted. “We respect, value and welcome all our customers.”

All, apparently, except veterans, police officers, African Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, disabled people, elderly widows, pregnant women, injured workers, and women disturbed to find men in their restrooms. We have in recent weeks documented Macy’s mistreatment of members of all of these groups, as well as its unconscionable firing of an employee for his Catholic beliefs (click here).

Contact Macy’s Group Vice President, Holly Thomas: holly.thomas@macys.com

Bill Donohue writes about the failure of the latest pro-abortion media campaign by Catholics for Choice. Read his piece on CNSNews.com.

Bill Donohue comments on an article by Utah professor Gregory A. Clark that appeared over the weekend in the Salt Lake Tribune:

Professor Clark is not your ordinary egghead. In one short article, he manages to malign God, Christianity, Pope Francis, and Mother Teresa.

• He says God decided that “sitting out and willfully letting the rapes [by priests] was…the right thing for Him to do.”

• “Christianity is not only ridiculous and repugnant, it is also deeply dishonest,” he writes.

• He slams the decision by Pope Francis to recognize miracles attributed to Mother Teresa, saying, “This is superstition of the lowest order.”

• Mother Teresa, he charges, “didn’t bother to heal the many others who have died under the care of the Missionaries of Charity, often in squalid conditions with poor medical treatment, despite the unaccounted-for-millions of dollars raised in her name.”

Now that’s quite an indictment: God causes evil; Christianity is offensive; the pope is delusional; and Mother Teresa is a fraud.

So who is this genius? Professor Clark is an atheist—big surprise—who thinks that homosexual acts are biologically natural (another shocker!).

Best of all are his qualifications to assess Catholicism. Here’s an example of the kinds of papers he writes: “Selective and Graded Recruitment of Cat Hamstring Muscles with Intrafascicular Stimulation.”

I’d like to close with a rejoinder but cat’s got my tongue.

Contact: Greg.Clark@m.cc.utah.edu

Bill Donohue responds to a scathing attack on religious liberty by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. To read his article on CNSNews.com, click here.

Bill Donohue comments on Planned Parenthood’s intolerant policies:

Planned Parenthood loves censorship almost as much as it does abortion. For example, it is strongly opposed to parental notification—parents should have no voice in their children’s abortion decisions—and it has long sought to shut down crisis pregnancy centers, the only realistic alternative to abortion in many locales. Now it is at war in California, Alaska, and Indiana trying to censor opposition to its lethal agenda.

In California, Planned Parenthood is trying to increase the penalties for those who distribute secret recordings of health care providers. It is still reeling from videotapes taken by the Center for Medical Progress: the footage implicated some employees of the abortion mill in the selling of body parts. A bill awaits Governor Jerry Brown’s signature that would increase the sanctions for such recordings, but its reach is so broad that it has sparked a backlash from the media and the ACLU. Predictably, Planned Parenthood has shown no interest in addressing the free speech issues involved.

It is also waging war in Alaska trying to stop parents from removing their children from what they deem are irresponsible sex education programs. Planned Parenthood knows that if parents exercise their rights and sign opt-out releases, it threatens its raison d’etre: Why should the taxpayers fork up a half-billion dollars a year for services the public doesn’t want?

In Indiana, Planned Parenthood has sued the state for its informed consent law. It doesn’t want pregnant women to see the baby they are carrying, preferring to keep them in a state of ignorance. To be blunt, it is scared to death of technology: ultrasound, and other scientific advancements, allow women to make informed decisions, and that is not something Planned Parenthood can stomach.

The bad news is that we are still paying for Planned Parenthood. The good news is that it is being forced to play defense—our side is just as relentless. Truth will prevail.

Bill Donohue commends school officials in Scottsdale, Arizona:

Yesterday, we expressed our concerns over two related anti-Catholic incidents that took place in Scottsdale, Arizona last weekend, letting school officials know of our interest in this matter. Today, we are happy to report that this issue is being handled in a responsible manner.

Our cause for concern was twofold: prior to a football game between Notre Dame Prep and Desert Mountain High School, a statue of Our Blessed Mother was vandalized on the campus of the Catholic school; during the game at Desert Mountain, a student dressed as Jesus paraded up and down the sidelines, mocking Catholics.

We are happy to report that in response to our concerns, we received a very professional letter from Dr. A. Denise Birdwell, the Scottsdale Unified School District Interim Superintendent. “On behalf of the Scottsdale Unified School District and Desert Mountain High School,” she wrote, “I want to apologize to you and the entire Catholic community.” She emphasized that she found the behavior “disgraceful, disrespectful and unacceptable.” She commenced an investigation and promises to get to the bottom of this issue.

Dr. Birdwell also thanked the Catholic League “for the role you play in educating all people to recognize the difference between right and wrong and, above all else, to respect one another.” She added, “We aim to do the same.”

This is a textbook case of the way incidents such as this should be handled by school officials. We commend Dr. Birdwell and all the administrators at Desert Mountain and Notre Dame Prep for their attention to these offensive actions.

Bill Donohue comments on anti-Catholic incidents at a high school football game:

Last Friday, prior to a football game in Scottsdale, Arizona between a Catholic and public school—Notre Dame Prep and Desert Mountain High School—a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Notre Dame Prep campus was desecrated. A sex toy was attached to the statue’s lower half, and a Hillary Clinton mask was put over its head.

Then during the game, a student dressed up as Jesus romped up and down the sidelines dancing. Parents asked a security guard to get the student to stop, but the “dancing Jesus” returned to the sidelines and continued his act throughout the game’s second half.

Some might dismiss these as harmless student pranks, but a number of parents were rightly offended by what in other contexts—say, the sacred icons of any other religion being similarly mocked and desecrated—would be regarded as hate crimes. Imagine the outcry if a “dancing Mohammed” had made an appearance on the sideline.

Rick Hinshaw, Catholic League director of communications, contacted officials at both schools. While what he learned is not definitive, we are pleased that a spokeswoman for the Scottsdale Unified School District said the incidents are being investigated. If it is found that any students of the district were involved, she promised, “appropriate action will be taken.” We will continue to monitor this situation to be sure that they follow through.

Contact Kristine Harrington, School District Officer: kharrington@susd.org

Bill Donohue comments on a story in the New York Daily News:

Up until recently, the Daily News had no record of spewing hatred toward the Catholic Church. That all changed when it was clear that the paper was nearly bankrupt. A decision was obviously made to gin up sales by attacking the Catholic Church.

In today’s edition, there is a story about a priest who has been asked to step down pending an investigation that he molested a teenage boy 30 years ago. The priest says he is innocent.

The news story never bothers to question why three decades passed before the accuser surfaced, but it does take the opportunity to criticize those who opposed bills that would suspend the statute of limitations for such offenses. It blames the Catholic Church for campaigning against this anti-civil libertarian measure, never mentioning the role that Jews and others played in defending the constitutional rights of the accused.

The anti-Catholic animus is also evident in the paper’s treatment of the priest’s advice on homosexuality. He reportedly is known for counseling gays to be celibate. So? Would the Daily News prefer he recommend promiscuity? Why is this news at all? Orthodox Jews, evangelical Protestants, Muslims, and Mormons all share the same teachings on homosexuality. Of course, the purpose of mentioning this is to portray the priest as a hypocrite.

The Daily News knows where to go to find liars. Citing Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability, the story says that “the Archdiocese of New York notoriously hides information, preventing a more complete picture of the extent of abuse among priests in the state.” In a revealing lament, Doyle opines, “We know of very few accused priests in New York State.”

Doyle is taking her cues from the founder of BishopAccountability, Terence McKiernan. He has accused New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan of “keeping the lid on 55 names” of predator priests.

This is a lie. Several times I have called McKiernan out on this matter, demanding that he produce the names. He never responds. And the Daily News will never ask him or Doyle for the evidence. Now I am calling out Doyle: release your evidence that the New York Archdiocese is “hiding” information about miscreant priests. Put up or shut up.

The Daily News has more than a cash-flow problem: it is morally bankrupt. Even in the sordid world of tabloid journalism, its reputation is mud.

Contact Jim Rich, editor-in-chief: jrich@nydailynews.com

Bill Donohue comments on Macy’s cutting off benefits from an employee injured on the job:

Kevin Schiller had worked for Macy’s in Texas for 21 years when he was injured on the job in 2010. A mannequin had fallen 12 feet onto his head in a storage room, knocking him to the floor where he hit his head on the cement. Suffering persistent headaches, memory loss, disorientation and extreme sensitivity to bright light and loud sound, he was unable to work regularly any more.

Macy’s, however, was skeptical of his injury from the beginning. In legal papers, they claimed that the accident never happened, and implied that it was staged. They cut off all benefits for medical care and lost pay. Schiller lost his house and his pick-up truck as a result. Doctors Macy’s sent him to concluded that he was either psychosomatic or faking.

However, specialists Schiller went to at his own expense—about $90,000— diagnosed a traumatic brain injury. And a Social Security judge declared Schiller disabled.

So add injured workers to the list of people—employees as well as customers—who Macy’s routinely mistreats. The latest, of course, is Javier Chavez, a Catholic man fired for having the temerity to disagree with Macy’s “transgender” bathroom policy; even though he agreed to abide by that policy (click here).

Contact Macy’s Group Vice President, Holly Thomas: holly.thomas@macys.com