Maria Benevento

Cultural attitudes around gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion are gradually changing, but the fact that the shift is most pronounced among Americans too young to vote also means that the country has yet to see the full impact of the changes in progress. 

During a challenging time for immigrant advocates in the U.S., they have found resources for collaboration thanks to initiatives of Catholic Legal Immigration Network's outgoing executive director, admirers say.

The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation announced Jan. 15 that Terrence Rynne will receive its 2019 Humanitarian Award "for his work in conflict resolution and peacemaking."

Cases document pregnant women in detention experiencing inadequate medical care, verbal and physical abuse, and stressful conditions that affect their health and that of their unborn children.

Legal service providers who represent detained migrants report a long series of hurdles that make it difficult to effectively represent their clients and to recruit additional aid for immigrants.

Experts say an embodied experience of faith, assisted by visual aids, physical journeys or other aesthetic elements, can bring people closer to God. But they often come with a particular agenda that may not harmonize with other views of Scripture or scientific facts.

Five protesters, including NCR's Tom Fox, had faced charges of trespassing onto the Kansas City National Security Campus, as part of the annual Memorial Day protest.

Catholic groups are adjusting to meet the needs of asylum-seeking families from Central America who arrive fleeing violence in their home countries. But as faith-based groups on both sides of the border address humanitarian concerns, the U.S. and Mexican governments often react to the migrants in ways that make things more difficult for asylum seekers and threaten to overwhelm those who support them.

Many campus ministers have the same simple advice for programs that are exploring how to better serve the expanding population of college-age Latino Catholics: Listen. It's not about translating materials, but rather embracing the value that people already bring.

An interim final rule from the departments of Homeland Security and Justice and a presidential proclamation bar migrants who cross the border between ports of entry from applying for asylum.

Latinos' view of the church as family and "embedded" clericalism may contribute to a reluctance to hold clergy accountable. But their divergence from Anglo Catholics blurs among the young.

The latest news on active nonviolence: Voter turnout on Nov. 6 was the second largest in El Paso history, with growth fueled largely by young voters and women; 200 ethicists and theologians issue statement in response to recent hate-fueled acts

For Central Americans to remain in their home country, faith leaders told NCR, the U.S. needs to recognize how it has contributed to instability, violence and poverty in the region and take steps to address those root causes of migration.

The latest news on active nonviolence: "Largest Catholic advocacy day of the year" comes at end of Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice; Faith leaders organize to encourage Latinos to vote.

Residents of El Paso wonder what would happen to national migration policy if decision-makers, commentators and voters who operate on assumptions about what happens at the border actually understood their reality.

The latest news on active nonviolence: Students celebrate Day of the Dead with ofrendas based on field research; Homeless encampment lawsuit close to settlement; Catholic groups speak about refugee caravan

2018 Midterm Elections: In a nation where the two major political parties seem to have divvied up the Catholic view of a consistent ethic of life, it's problematic to prioritize partisan politics over faith, especially because doing so doesn't encourage the development of candidates or even parties who do respect the comprehensive Catholic worldview.

A network of faith-based organizations is calling a new proposed rule for determining if prospective permanent residents risk being a burden on the public a "wealth test," said Jill Marie Bussey, director of advocacy for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC).

The latest news on active nonviolence: A Pakistani family returns to their home and business after seven months in sanctuary; Plowshares activists, volunteer plan to use religious freedom defense; and more

In heavily Latino El Paso, Texas, local Catholic leaders and advocates are working to register voters, increase turnout among those registered and educate citizens on issues.