Christians win BIG: New York caves on forcing nuns and churches to fund abortion after knockout SCOTUS ruling
Christian organizations spent nearly a decade fighting New York's requirement that they pay for abortions. They came out victorious on Friday, thanks in part to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June.
In January 2017, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the Empire State would require employers to not only pay for contraceptive drugs and devices but for "all medically necessary abortion services."
Cuomo, a Catholic, said that the mandate was one of a number of regulatory actions that would "help ensure that whatever happens at the federal level, women in our state will have cost-free access to reproductive health care."
'The state has given up its disgraceful campaign.'
While there was a religious exemption built into the mandate, it was extremely narrow.
As satisfaction of the mandate would violate their deeply held religious beliefs, a coalition of Christian groups ineligible for the exemption — including the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Albany and Ogdensburg, the Anglican Sisterhood of St. Mary, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, and First Bible Baptist Church — sued the State of New York, claiming it violated the First Amendment's free exercise clause and both religion clauses.
After years of legal setbacks, the Christian plaintiffs' fight was renewed in late 2021 when the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a mandate-affirming ruling by the state appellate court and ordered it to reconsider the case in light of its 2021 decision in Fulton v. Philadelphia. In Fulton, the SCOTUS ruled that the City of Philadelphia had violated Catholic Social Services' free exercise of religion by requiring the foster care agency to endorse homosexual couples as foster parents.
Again, the state appellate court considered the case, and again it ruled against the plaintiffs and in favor of the abortion mandate.
The Supreme Court took up the Christian groups' subsequent appeal, and in June 2025, it ordered the Court of Appeals of New York to reconsider the case in light of its June 5 ruling in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor. In that particular case, the high court unanimously held that by denying the Catholic Charities Bureau a tax exemption that is available for religious entities, Wisconsin had violated the First Amendment.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said in the opinion for the court, "When the government distinguishes among religions based on theological differences in their provision of services, it imposes a denominational preference that must satisfy the highest level of judicial scrutiny."
That Supreme Court ruling boded poorly for New York, whose abortion mandate had a similarly narrow and problematic religious exemption.
On Friday, New York agreed to surrender its effort to coerce the Christian plaintiffs into funding abortions.
"For nearly a decade, New York bureaucrats tried to strong-arm nuns into paying for abortions because they serve all those in need," said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket and attorney for the plaintiffs, in a statement. "At long last, the state has given up its disgraceful campaign. This victory confirms that the government cannot punish religious ministries for living out their faith by serving everyone."
"The Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that religious groups shouldn't be bullied for staying true to their faith," Windham added.
Per the terms of the settlement with self-identified Catholic Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration, the following entities will now be recognized as religious employers, thereby securing exemptions from the mandate: the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Albany and Ogdensburg and the Catholic Charities thereof; St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church Society of Amherst; First Bible Baptist Church; Our Savior's Lutheran Church of Albany; Teresian House Nursing Home Company, Inc.; Teresian House Housing Corporation; and Depaul Housing Management Corporation.
The Sisterhood of Mary and the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn have dropped their free exercise claims against the state.
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Michael Knowles explains why he isn't a Christian Zionist
Over the weekend, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem released a statement reaffirming their authority in the land of Israel against proponents of Christian Zionism and other "damaging ideologies."
The statement, published on Saturday, reaffirmed Christian leaders' devotion to the Christian flock in the Holy Land. It condemned ideologies like Christian Zionism, which "mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock."
'You don't have to support the nation-state of Israel, but if you do, you can do so without adhering to the relatively novel theology of Christian Zionism.'
Christian Zionism is the belief in the continuity between the Israel of the Bible and the modern state of Israel.
The church leaders condemned the "political actors" who have been "welcomed at official levels both locally and internationally." They described these dealings as "interference in the internal life of the church."
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The letter continued, "These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East."
As a result, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem "reiterate that they alone represent the Churches and their flock in matters pertaining to Christian religious, communal, and pastoral life in the Holy Land."
On Monday, the Daily Wire's Michael Knowles explained his position on Christian Zionism in response to the Patriarchs' statement.
Knowles, an outspoken Roman Catholic, explained that the joint statement issued by the Christian leaders over the weekend is essentially a reiteration of church teaching, such as a statement from 1985 from the Vatican.
The Vatican invites Christians to understand the Jews' religious attachment to the land of Israel "without however making their own any particular religious interpretation of this relationship."
Knowles signaled his wholehearted agreement with the next passage of the Vatican's notes, which he said "underscores the point": "The existence of the State of Israel and its political options should be envisaged not in a perspective which is in itself religious, but in their reference to the common principles of international law."
Knowles said that this line of thinking is "why I would not call myself a Zionist, or a Christian Zionist."
He continued, "It's not because I don't like the Jews, and it's not because I don't even support the state of Israel. As I think I've made clear, I am broadly supportive of the nation-state of Israel. But I am broadly supportive of it not because I believe in the principles of Zionism, which makes certain historical claims and religious claims that I just don't think are true."
Knowles also said that he doesn't think that just because a people lived on a plot of land many years ago, it entitles them to the land today. "If that were the case, we would have to turn Mount Rushmore over to the Lakota Sioux. I don't believe any of that."
He finally clarified that most of his support for the nation-state of Israel is negative — that is, he doesn't like the alternatives, referring to other nations in the region like Iran and other Muslim groups. "The current options in the Holy Land are not great."
Staking his position clearly near the end of the clip, Knowles said, "You don't have to support the nation-state of Israel, but if you do, you can do so without adhering to the relatively novel theology of Christian Zionism."
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Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza gives 'all the glory to God' ahead of national championship
When it comes to his role in Indiana's unlikely rise to the top of college football, Hoosier quarterback Fernando Mendoza knows just who to thank: "the man upstairs."
"I really give a lot that I have accomplished this season in my life to the Lord and really give thanks to God. ... Give all the glory to God," Mendoza told reporters ahead of tonight's 2026 National Championship against the University of Miami.
'I really give a lot that I have accomplished this season in my life to the Lord.'
Team effort
At the press conference Saturday, the recent Indiana University transfer stressed that his success was a team effort — a team that includes the priests at his Catholic parish in Bloomington.
"I'm a Catholic man," Mendonza told reporters. "And they've done so much to help me, whether it's confession or just [being] able to talk or just Mass every Sunday."
This is not the first time Mendoza has credited the men of the St. Paul Catholic Center.
Christmas gift
On Christmas Eve, the 22-year-old brought them his 2025 Heisman Trophy. Mendoza won the award — which honors the nation's top college football player — on December 15, thanks in part to the 41 touchdown passes he threw for the Hoosiers this season.
Recalling the moment, Mendoza said, "I think it was really important to take it over [to] those guys, especially those guys who have been great religious mentors to myself."
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Chasing a dream
In his Heisman acceptance speech, Mendoza thanked God for giving him "the opportunity to chase a dream that once felt the world away" and vowed to live up to the honor.
Mendoza, who attends Mass weekly and says he prays before every game, also thanked his younger brother Alberto, currently Indiana's backup quarterback. Calling Alberto his "lifelong teammate," Mendoza described him as the one person he could trust to "get through a tough day, tough play, [or] tough game."
"I love you, bro. I love you and thank you for always giving it to me straight no matter the circumstance."
The NCAA national football championship airs from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Catholic priest accused of changing the outcome of the last NFL game of the season
With everything on the line, a Catholic priest's blessing may have changed the outcome of the NFL playoffs on Sunday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium for "Sunday Night Football" with the season on the line. The game would decide who topped the AFC North and the final playoff spot.
'The Catholic community in Pittsburgh is very strong.'
A perfect, dramatic ending was set up for the last game of the season, after the Steelers went ahead 26-24 with a late touchdown. After blocking their opponent's extra point, the Ravens converted a pivotal fourth-down play to get into position for a 44-yard game-winning field goal.
However, kicker Tyler Loop pushed the ball right, and the Ravens lost in dramatic fashion.
Just after the game, NBC commentators Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth decided to sprinkle some Catholic lore on the ending and revealed that a priest may have been involved in the missed field goal.
At 6:15 p.m. local time, Tirico revealed, a priest was seen "spreading holy water" in the Steelers' defending end zone, where the kick was missed.
"The Catholic community in Pittsburgh is very strong ... and down at that end zone, Tyler Loop misses the ... field goal ... and allows the Steelers to win," Tirico explained.
"So it's not Tyler Loop's fault," Collinsworth laughed.
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The priest in question has since been named by local outlets as Father Maximilian Maxwell. Maxwell currently serves as the prior of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. According to WJCL, the Steelers have held their training camp at the college since 1966.
At the same time, Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia, was quick to claim Fr. Maxwell as one of its own and proudly boasted on the school's Facebook page.
"Check out former Benedictine Military School theology teacher Fr. Maximilian Maxwell blessing the Pittsburgh Steelers' football field with holy water before the game Sunday night!" the school wrote.
Following the dramatic ending, Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward was asked about the potential blessed outcome.
"I'm not gonna ask questions," Heyward said, per WJCL. "The good Lord made a good decision tonight. I'm thankful, and we keep moving on."
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On the other side of the ball, Ravens players still kept their faith, particularly Loop, who said he will be leaning on his religion to get him through the tough moment.
"I had written down a little prayer before the game. ... Faith is a big part of my life and right now I'm reading the book of Romans, and in Romans 8 it says God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."
Loop continued, "Ultimately, I'm here to love on the guys around me. I'm here to try and have their back ... reminding myself that 'hey, God's got my back even when stuff sucks.'"
Ravens running back Derrick Henry told reporters that he advised Loop to keep his faith and trust in God's plan.
"I just told him the story after this is gonna be great for him because God put him in this position to use him as an example," Henry revealed.
The Steelers will host the Houston Texans in Pittsburgh on January 12.
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Christian Almost Murdered Twice By Islamists Finds Home In Canada For Christmas
Michael and his family no longer need fear for their lives, but the same cannot be said for the millions of Christians living in Pakistan.New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan resigns; pope appoints his replacement
Per the resignation norms revised by the late Pope Francis in 2014, Cardinal Timothy Dolan was obligated to present his letter of resignation from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of New York upon reaching the age of 75.
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., confirmed on Thursday that Pope Leo XIV has accepted Dolan's resignation and appointed fellow Illinoisan Bishop Ronald Hicks of the Diocese of Joliet to take over the 4,683 square-mile archdiocese that serves over 1.5 million Catholics.
Cardinal Dolan — who has served as archbishop of New York since his appointment by the late Pope Benedict XVI in February 2009 — will continue to serve as the apostolic administrator until the installation of his 58-year-old replacement at Saint Patrick's Cathedral on Feb. 6, 2026.
'Running the New York archdiocese is a daunting task.'
Archbishop-designate Hicks, a native of Harvey, Illinois, will be the 14th bishop and 11th archbishop of the See of New York.
In addition to his time as bishop of Joliet, Hicks previously served in El Salvador as the regional director of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a home dedicated to caring for thousands of orphaned and abandoned children in various Latin American and Caribbean countries; dean of formation at Mundelein Seminary; vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago; and auxiliary bishop of Chicago.
Hicks is no stranger to the pope, having spoken with him at length just last year.
After Pope Leo's election, Hicks sung the Chicago native's praises and told WGN-TV, "I recognize a lot of similarities between him and me. So we grew up literally in the same radius, in the same neighborhood together."
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Rev. David Boettner, one of Hicks' former classmates at Mundelein Seminary, told Faith magazine in 2020, "As a seminarian and as a priest, he has always had a deep love of people and a generosity of his time to serve the needs of others."
"He has always lived his promise of obedience to the Church, and his first answer when asked to serve is almost always yes," added Boettner.
Rev. James Presta, a priest who worked with Hicks at Mundelein and at St. Joseph College Seminary, said, "He has been a mentor to young priests. He offers them fraternal support and sound, practical wisdom as a brother priest."
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, stressed that Cardinal Dolan will be missed.
"He is a very special man. He always fought for justice, and his amiable character won the applause of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He was certainly very kind to me," Donohue said in a statement. "His fairness never stood in the way of being outspoken about contemporary issues. He was not tied to the politics of the left or the right."
While tethered neither to the left nor the right, Dolan called on Catholics to "be very active, very informed, and very involved in politics"; criticized the perverse secular culture that "seems to discover new rights every day"; championed religious liberty; and defended Christian morality, especially as it pertains to marriage and the rights of the unborn.
"Running the New York archdiocese is a daunting task, but it is one that suits the new archbishop," noted Donohue. "Archbishop Ronald Hicks is young and vibrant and will be able to put his considerable administrative experience to good use. We look forward to working with him."
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Philip Rivers knew the playbook going in.
When the 44-year-old quarterback got the call from the injury-plagued Indianapolis Colts, he already had a relationship with coach Shane Steichen. Almost a peer of his at 40 years old, Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers when Rivers last played in 2020.
'These kind of things don't come up.'
With Steichen using the same playbook with the Colts as he did when he was arm-in-arm with Rivers, the 44-year-old quarterback came out of retirement to plug the hole for the Colts as their promising season was falling apart.
On Sunday, the father of 10 stepped in the game and threw a touchdown in a hard-fought battle against the Seattle Seahawks, one of the best teams in the NFL this season. That single TD pass was one more than his opponent, and despite the Colts taking the lead with a late field goal, the Seahawks followed suit and kicked a field goal of their own with 22 seconds left to win 18-16.
At the postgame press conference, Rivers was asked why he wanted to come back after nearly five years away from the game, especially with a strong possibility of failure looming.
"I think about my own boys, you know, my own two sons, but certainly [the] high school team I'm coaching, but this isn't why I'm doing it," Rivers replied.
"These kind of things don't come up. But obviously, this doesn't come up every day. But I think, maybe it will inspire or teach [them] to not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen."
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According to Catholic Vote, since retiring Rivers has been coaching the football team at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where his son also played quarterback.
It was when talking about his high school team that Rivers began getting emotional in front of the NFL press.
"Certainly I think of my sons and those ball players that I'm in charge of at the school. They'll say, like, 'Crap! Coach wasn't scared!' You know what I mean. Shoot, sometimes there is doubt, and it's real, and ... the guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it. And the other one is, 'Shoot, let's see what happens,'" he said.
It was in that moment that Rivers' faith shined through.
"I hope that in that sense that it can be a positive to some young boys or young people. ... Whatever God's will, I'm happy with," he added.
Rivers also answered questions about self doubt in his abilities after being away from the professional game so long. He admitted that he initially felt some doubt last week, but he was "thankful to God" those doubts quickly dissipated.
"I've been very much at peace and just at peace with everything about it," he revealed.
The Colts play the San Francisco 49ers next Monday in a game that will likely be a must-win if the Colts want to make the playoffs.
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