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| FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 |
| CLASS ACTION SUIT Six men who claim they were sexually abused have filed a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. bishops’ conference and the Vatican. The suit claims that the bishops covered up the “endemic, systemic, rampant, and pervasive rape and sexual abuse” of the plaintiffs and many others. The lawsuit was filed in Washington, DC, by four attorneys representing the six plaintiffs who lived in six different states. READ |
| FLORIDA SENATE A machine recount in Florida has finished and Republican Rick Scott’s margin has increased by 865 votes to a 13,247 lead. But because the margin is less than 0.25%, Florida law dictates that a recount of the votes by hand must begin — unless Democrat Bill Nelson concedes (which seems unlikely). Rick Scott declared victory: “It’s time to admit this race is over.” Rick Scott, who is also Florida’s governor, has removed himself from the recount process. Republican Ron DeSantis was declared the winner in the Florida’s governor race after a machine recount. READ |
| HOW DEMS WON THE HOUSE The liberal House Majority super PAC acted as an umbrella organization to ensure other liberal groups would be working together. These groups, such as Emily’s List and the Environmental Defense Fund, spent a combined $200 million in more than 70 House races. They overwhelmed Republican candidates in what people call a “green wave” of cash. Billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s organization spent $37.5 million and won at least 29 out of the 33 races they targeted. READ |
| ABORTION AND THE U.N. A drafted memo by the United Nations Human Rights Committee calls for abortion and physician-assisted suicide to be “decriminalized” everywhere. Mary Ann Glendon said the proposals “show how susceptible U.N. bodies are to lobbying by interest groups that would like to see their agenda items recognized as universal rights.” READ |
| MORE 2020 CANDIDATES? Sen. Bob Casey, Jr., D-PA, might just run for president. “It’s going to be a multi-candidate field and that’s probably the biggest understatement. There’ll be a lot of variety in that field, so we’ll have to see what happens,” the senator said. Casey routinely calls himself “pro-life” while being a vocal supporter of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States. He’s voted with Planned Parenthood 75% of the time since 2011. READ |
| HEARTBEAT BILL The Ohio House passes a bill that would ban abortions after a baby’s heartbeat is detected. “This bill basically says if there is a heartbeat you cannot abort. If there is a heartbeat, there is life…there is no debating that,” said State Rep. Ron Hood. The bill passed 58-35, which is two votes shy of a potential veto. Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, has signed 18 pro-life bills into law, but he vetoed a similar heartbeat bill last year. His term ends January 14. READ |
| RELIGIOUS LIBERTY CASE Attorneys representing florist Barronnelle Stutzman have filed with the Washington Supreme Court, as the court prepares to rehear her case. In June, the United States Supreme Court vacated a 2013 ruling against the florist, who declined to make flower arrangements for a same-sex couple. READ |
| CELINE DION Pop singer Celine Dion launched a “gender-neutral” clothing line for children with a really creepy ad. READ |
| CATHOLIC SEMINARIES Some analysts are urging bishops to address seminary problems on a national level, including developing a national database to keep track of dismissed seminarians. Father John Lavers said such a database would be “designed to prevent unsuitable individuals who wish to circumvent, misrepresent and or fraudulently enter Catholic organizations by moving from one diocese, religious community or seminary to another.” READ |
| FUNERALS FOR THE LIVING? There’s an adage that funerals are for the living, not the dead. But that’s not a Catholic understanding at all. “It’s a great paradox that, for all its advocacy of killing, the culture of death doesn’t like to look death straight in the eye,” said John Grondelski. READ |
| SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Margaret of Scotland was Scottish because her family was rescued by the King of Scotland as they fled William the Conqueror. She married the King and introduced him and his country to more cultured life. They had six sons and two daughters. READ |
| DAILY READINGS “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!” (Ps 119:1) READ |
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