Five Things to Remember on June 30

1. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled today, June 30, in favor of religious freedom for Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties. “We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to recognize that Americans can continue to follow their faith when they run a family business. In this case, justice has prevailed,” said on a statement Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. The full statement is available at: www.usccb.org/news/2014/14-116.cfm. The family operated businesses opposed being forced by the government to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives and abortion inducing drugs and devices.


2. Archbishop Leonard P. Blair of Hartford, Connecticut, was among the 24 metropolitan archbishops recently installed who received the pallium at a Mass celebrated on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Archbishop Blair told Catholic News Service, "The pallium is a symbol in Catholic faith and liturgy -- as the prayers and the text of the liturgy today made clear -- of the communion and unity of the church."


3. In the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent a message to Pope Francis expressing his gratitude for the recent efforts to improve dialogue and promote peace between Israel and Palestine.


4. The Financial Intelligence Authority of the Holy See and Vatican City State has signed an agreement to release information with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). According to Vatican officials, this is part of their continued efforts to strengthen financial transparency and cooperation, under the new laws enacted last year.


5. God loves you.