Matt Hadro

Matt Hadro

Matt Hadro was the political editor at Catholic News Agency through October 2021. He previously worked as CNA senior D.C. correspondent and as a press secretary for U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.

Articles by Matt Hadro

Lawsuit against national pro-life group dies at the Sixth Circuit Court

Mar 10, 2015 / 14:34 pm

Ruling in favor of a national pro-life group, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a district court’s decision to toss out a defamation lawsuit brought by a former congressman.

Touchdown! Notre Dame scores big on HHS mandate at Supreme Court

Mar 9, 2015 / 11:21 am

In a potentially groundbreaking decision, the Supreme Court nullified a federal court ruling against the University of Notre Dame on the HHS contraception mandate and sent it back for reconsideration by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Big business overreach? Corporations push Supreme Court to legalize 'gay marriage'

Mar 8, 2015 / 14:18 pm

With the Supreme Court set to rule on a potentially far-reaching marriage case this summer, several hundred corporations are pushing for the court to require “gay marriage” recognition nationwide.

Would you recognize 'Homeless Jesus' on a park bench in DC?

Mar 4, 2015 / 04:18 am

A statue of “Homeless Jesus” now sits just outside Catholic Charities in downtown Washington, D.C., with the organization’s president hoping it will spur passers-by to service.

How Cardinal Tagle thinks the Church can better reach Asian cultures

Mar 3, 2015 / 16:54 pm

Asia poses unique challenges to the spreading of the Catholic faith, and the Church must respond by evangelizing through personal encounters, insisted the leading Filipino cardinal.

Why a new State Department position could spell trouble for religious liberty

Feb 26, 2015 / 18:28 pm

The State Department’s new LGBT special envoy will promote human rights abroad but could also pose a serious threat to religious freedom, said several experts in the field.  

Faith vs. Fashion – Muslim woman spars with Abercrombie in major court case

Feb 26, 2015 / 15:06 pm

When an employer’s hiring standards conflict with a prospective employee’s religious practice, when would the employer be guilty of discrimination for not hiring?

A Middle East without Christians: advocates call for action before it's too late

Feb 25, 2015 / 16:43 pm

Middle Eastern Christian communities face extinction, and the results for the stability and peace of the region would be devastating, said an advocacy group asking Americans to speak out on their behalf.

New religious freedom official: the time for action is now

Feb 23, 2015 / 19:05 pm

The new U.S. religious freedom ambassador wasted no time emphasizing the urgency of his mission as he was sworn in on Feb. 20.  

For Coptic Christians, threat of martyrdom is part of daily life

Feb 22, 2015 / 16:37 pm

The brutal murder of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya at the hands of ISIS last week is shining a light on the reality faced by many of Egypt’s Christians on a daily basis.  

Would you die for your ashes? Cardinal reflects on modern Christian martyrs

Feb 18, 2015 / 18:09 pm

Catholics owe solidarity, prayer and a voice against injustice to their fellow Christians being martyred and persecuted around the world, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., stressed on Ash Wednesday.

Why the Religious Freedom Restoration Act matters to you

Feb 17, 2015 / 17:20 pm

For the sake of religious liberity, it is vital that the religious rights of corporations – and not just individuals and churches – be upheld under federal law, a legal scholar has said.

Federalism, same-sex marriage, and what a bishop has to say about it

Feb 16, 2015 / 19:06 pm

The head of the U.S. bishops’ marriage committee is backing new legislation that thwarts the federal government from bypassing state marriage laws.

Muslims respond to Chapel Hill shootings with prayer, calls for peace

Feb 13, 2015 / 17:50 pm

Muslims gathered in front of the White House to pray for the victims of the Chapel Hill shooting on Friday, emphasizing a message of peace and love in response to the killing.

Bishop to Congress: Stop treating immigrants as 'less than human'

Feb 13, 2015 / 11:21 am

Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tuscon, Arizona, leveled harsh criticism against the tone of some Congress members, saying that they were treating undocumented migrants as subhuman.

Latino leadership in the spotlight at intersection of Church and culture

Feb 12, 2015 / 17:18 pm

Social justice, politics and Latino culture are three areas that are fields for evangelization, a Hispanic ministry leader told young Catholic professionals at a recent event in Washington, D.C.

Ukrainian Catholic bishops urge prayer, fasting ahead of Sunday's ceasefire

Feb 12, 2015 / 17:15 pm

The Ukrainian Catholic bishops in the US issued a letter on Wednesday asking their faithful to pray and fast for peace, a day before a tentative ceasefire in Ukraine was agreed on which would end 10 months of fighting.

US pushing Cuba to improve record on human trafficking, State Dept. says

Feb 12, 2015 / 10:41 am

As the U.S. aims to re-establish full relations with Cuba, it is also pushing the country to redeem its poor track record fighting human trafficking, said a U.S. State Department official.

Go forth! Ministry leaders instructed to encounter God in the poor

Feb 11, 2015 / 02:23 am

The president of the U.S. bishops’ conference exhorted a group of Catholic leaders to go forth in ministry to serve at the peripheries of society, where they will encounter God in the poor.

Could two new laws suffocate the Catholic Church in DC?

Feb 7, 2015 / 17:09 pm

The U.S. bishops and several other Catholic and pro-life groups are asking Congress to nullify two new Washington, D.C. laws that they say could choke their ability to operate according to their religious beliefs.