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Discusses the pastoral letter "Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy. Catholic bishops who contributed to the drafting of the letter; Three key principles of Catholic social thought; Preferential option for the poor; Christian compassion for the poor and the disadvantaged. more...

Presents several letters to the editor that focus on various political issues. Discussion about Pastoral letters and Catholics; Insight into the making of militants; Requirement of an additional cruiser for the U.S. Navy. more...

Focuses on the 1986 meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington. Debate on bishop's controversial pastoral letter on the economy of the U.S.; Controversy surrounding Archbishop Raymond H. Hunthausen's remarks about a locally-based nuclear-armed submarine. more...

Leaders of the thirty six member communions of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S., write this joint pastoral letter at a time when the threat of violence hangs over the earth and warfare involving the U.S. forces is increasing in Iraq. The author writes out of a deep love for this country, but also out of a profound concern at the direction this cycle of violence is taking the common man. This concern has been brought home to all Americans and indeed the world in the horrific pictures of prisoner abuse. Two central claims of the Christian faith are crucial in one's thinking: that every person, as a child of God, is of infinite worth; and that all persons, as participants in God's one creation, are related in their humanity and vulnerability. This is why the World Council of Churches has asserted that "war is contrary to the will of God" — because it destroys that which God has made sacred. In a sinful world, some of the people may hold that there may be times when war is a necessary evil. more...

Presents international news briefs related to religions as of May 6, 2000. Settlement of a lawsuit by a priest against a former bishop in the United States; Petition of the organization of American State's Council of Human Rights for hearing on crimes against indigenous people; Pastoral letter issued by Roger M. Mahoney, a Catholic cardinal in Los Angeles, California. more...

Discusses the pastoral letter drafted by the U.S. Catholic bishops about the American economy in 1984. Description of what constituted economic justice; Statement issues by a group of laymen called upon by the church to comment on the topic; Details of the statement called "Liberty and Justice for All". more...

Presents the highlights of the pastoral letter from the bishops in the United States on racism. Definition of racism as a sin; Need for the Catholic Church to voice out racial injustices in the society; Impact of racism on the relationship between poverty and family instability; Persistence of racism in covert ways. more...

Discusses the contents of a pastoral letter given by Colorado Bishop Michael Sheridan to his parishioners which declares that Roman Catholics who voted for politicians who supports the abortion rights of women, stem-cell research, euthanasia and gay rights should not take Holy Communion. Issue regarding the prohibition of several bishops to give U.S. Senator John Kerry the Holy Communion in their dioceses; Attempts of the Church to influence decisions of politicians and voters. more...

Reports that 19 former Moderators of the Presbyterian Church of the United States, have joined in a call for the defeat of Amendment 00-O, 'On Adding New Section W-4.9007 Prohibiting Same-Sex Unions,' citing restrictions on pastoral and session responsibility. Pastoral letter to the Presbyterian Church (USA); Pastoral letter signatories. more...

Focuses on the U.S. Roman Catholic bishops committee's release of a pastoral draft of "pastoral response to women's concerns for church and society". Emphasis of the pastoral of Christian feminism; Pope John Paul's reaction on the committee's draft. more...

Focuses on the pastoral letter of U.S. Catholic bishops titled "Challenge and Response: Critiques of the Catholic Bishops' Draft Letter on the U.S. Economy, edited by Robert Royal". Contents of the book; Price; Contact information for a copy of the book. more...

Criticizes the draft version of a pastoral letter in which the American Catholic bishops assert that the distribution of wealth in American society is unjust. Suggestion that the unjust distribution of wealth is a violation of the "minimum standard of distributive justice"; Recommendations made by the bishops. more...