Articles by Daniel Payne
Colorado to pay out $5.4 million after court strikes down abortion pill reversal ban
Jan 9, 2026 / 17:38 pmHere’s a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.
Supreme Court asked to block California school gender secrecy rules amid ongoing lawsuit
Jan 9, 2026 / 10:47 amThe Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based legal group, asked the high court to intervene in the case Mirabelli v. Bonta while the dispute works its way through a federal appeals court.
After ICE shooting of U.S. citizen, Minneapolis archbishop pleads for prayers, calm
Jan 7, 2026 / 19:32 pmSaint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda on Jan. 7 pleaded for prayers and calm after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis.
Federal appeals court affirms religious organizations can choose to hire only fellow believers
Jan 7, 2026 / 15:04 pmA federal appeals court this week upheld a years-old principle of U.S. law that allows religious organizations to hire only like-minded believers.
Arizona bill would hit priests with felony if they fail to break confessional seal to report abuse
Jan 7, 2026 / 14:34 pmPriests in Arizona could face felony charges if they fail to report child abuse learned during confession.
Michael Reagan, Catholic son of U.S. President Ronald Reagan, dies at 80
Jan 7, 2026 / 10:07 amMichael Reagan, the adopted son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and a longtime conservative activist, died on Jan. 4 at 80 years old.
‘A great man who loved Jesus’: Catholic writer Russell Shaw dies at 90
Jan 6, 2026 / 14:10 pmRussell Shaw, a Catholic writer and journalist whose prolific career spanned decades, died Jan. 6 at the age of 90.
A look ahead: 2026 U.S. midterms hinge on key races in Maine, North Carolina
Jan 5, 2026 / 06:00 amDemocrats need only a net gain of four seats to flip the Senate and a net of three districts to take control of the House.
Trump says U.S. will ‘run’ Venezuela until ‘transition’ to new president
Jan 3, 2026 / 12:56 pmU.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 3 said the United States would “run” Venezuela until a replacement for President Nicolás Maduro can be found.
U.S. indictment accuses Venezuelan president Maduro of years of ‘cocaine-fueled corruption’
Jan 3, 2026 / 11:05 amA U.S. indictment brought against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accuses the politician of running a corrupt government facilitating drug trafficking and conspiracy, among other crimes.
Historic Dutch former Catholic church destroyed by fire on New Year’s Day
Jan 2, 2026 / 12:10 pmA fire reduced the famed 150-year-old building mostly to ash in a matter of hours.
Appeals court allows White House cuts to Planned Parenthood in multiple states
Dec 31, 2025 / 14:30 pmA federal appeals court will allow federal funding cuts to Planned Parenthoods that provide abortion, permitting a key Trump policy to go forward after a lower court blocked it.
Indianapolis church files federal lawsuit to knock down parish after historic designation
Dec 31, 2025 / 14:00 pmOverseers of an unused parish in Indianapolis have filed a federal lawsuit demanding the government allow the building to be demolished after it was declared a local landmark.
Rest in peace: Looking back at notable Catholics who passed away in 2025
Dec 31, 2025 / 06:00 amIn 2025, numerous notable Catholics entered eternal life — from public officials to the vicar of Christ himself.
U.S. executions rise in 2025 amid shifting public opinion
Dec 29, 2025 / 06:00 amA rise in executions in the U.S. in 2025 occurred alongside “shifting public opinion” against the death penalty, offering anti-death-penalty advocates a hopeful sign going into 2026.
Should Catholics use AI to re-create deceased loved ones? Experts weigh in
Dec 27, 2025 / 02:00 amThe AI company 2wai ignited a controversy on social media in November after it revealed an app that will allow users to fabricate digital versions of their loved ones.
CNA explains: How does ‘Mass dispensation’ work, and when is it used?
Dec 26, 2025 / 01:00 amAmid heavy immigration enforcement by the Trump administration, several bishops in the U.S. have recently issued broad dispensations to Catholics in their dioceses.
Federal judge strikes down rules allowing schools to hide gender ‘transitions’ from parents
Dec 23, 2025 / 10:07 amA federal judge in California has issued a permanent block against the state’s “gender secrecy policies” that have allowed schools to hide “gender transitions” from parents.
Multiple Kansas Catholic schools targeted by apparent bomb hoax
Dec 20, 2025 / 09:00 amThe Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas confirmed in a press statement that “several” Catholic schools in the archdiocese had “received bomb threats” on Dec. 18-19.
Massachusetts removes LGBT ideology requirements for foster care parents
Dec 19, 2025 / 12:54 pmMassachusetts will no longer require prospective foster parents to affirm gender ideology in order to qualify for fostering children.