Jezebel: Catholics

French Concern-Trolls Claim Sex Toys Are the Same as Porn

Anna North — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:35:00 EST

The French are supposed to be all enlightened, but apparently not when it comes to sex toys: Catholic groups are trying to get a sex shop closed down on the grounds that it's selling "pornographic" materials near a school. But if if they succeed, sex shops could be banned from everywhere but "cemeteries, public gardens and railways." More »

Relax, Everyone: President Obama's Not Going to Cave on Birth Control Requirement

Erin Gloria Ryan — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:20:00 EST

Rumors have been swirling all day that the Obama administration may be poised to cave to mounting conservative pressure and offer religious colleges and medical centers an exemption from the Affordable Care Act provision that would require their employee and student health plans to fully cover the cost of birth control. The administration itself swears this is not the case. Conservatives are super pissed. Another day in paradise. More »

Catholic Universities Vow To Smite Provision Requiring Them To Give Students Birth Control

Erin Gloria Ryan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:55:00 EDT

Catholic universities have got their rosaries in a bunch over a provision in the Affordable Care Act that would require them to do something that makes the baby Jesus cry- outfit their students and employees with insurance plans that would cover hormonal birth control. More »

Lady Gaga Reveals The Only Controversial Thing About "Judas" Video

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:40:00 EDT

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In the video for Lady Gaga's "Judas," Jesus has cornrows. The disciples are a leather-clad motorcycle gang. Gaga wears a bikini top featuring nipple-hiding crosses, and folks are anointed with holy water and beer. But as Gaga tells E!: More »

Catholics Angry With Lady Gaga's Blashphemous New Single

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:57:00 EDT

Well, one Catholic, anyway: Catholic League President Bill Donohue is not a fan of Lady Gaga's new track, "Judas." In fact, he's pretty upset: More »

Lady Gaga Releases Biblical Dance Track In Time For Easter

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:10:00 EDT

"Jesus is my virtue, and Judas is the demon I cling to," Gaga sings in her new track, "Judas." The Madonna enthusiast is in her "Like A Prayer" phase, guys! Although: There are moments when it kind of sounds like she's saying "Jew, ah, ah." So maybe you can play the tune at Seder while looking for the Afikoman. In any case, as you may know, Judas was the dude who betrayed Jesus for cash. And Gaga gets all New Testament on us, hollering: More »

Excommunicated Australian Nun Becomes A Saint

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:35:00 EDT

This month Pope Benedict will canonize Mary MacKillop, making her Australia's first native-born saint. She's been dubbed the "Patron Saint of Whistleblowers" due to her 1871 excommunication for denouncing priests that abuse children, but the Vatican is downplaying that misstep. More »

Catholic Leaders Upset That Rome Is Just The "Eat" In Eat Pray Love

Dodai Stewart — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EDT

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John Muldering of the Catholic News Service doesn't seem to realize that only exotic brown people can say wise things. Duh. More »

The Apostle

Anna Holmes — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:10:00 EST

[Washington, D.C., February 17. Image via Getty]

Bush Wins Anti-Choice Award

Katy Kelleher — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:40:00 EST

Oh look, George W. Bush won an award! He still has the honor of being the Worst President Ever and in early February he can add the "the prestigious Cardinal John J. O'Connor Pro-Life Award" to his resume! [OCWeekly] More »

Coin Toss

Katy Kelleher — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST

A Maryland woman left $40,000 worth of rare coins - her life savings - at a Catholic shrine because she wanted the Virgin Mary to look after it while she was out of town. It worked. [NYDailyNews] More »

Losing Her Religion

Anna Holmes — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:10:00 EDT

[New York, August 9. Image via Getty]

The Shifting Identity Of American Catholics

Hortense Smith — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:15:00 EDT

Often enough, when we post something about the Pope, or Catholicism in general, the comments tend to split down the center, with Catholic commenters and non-Catholic commenters challenging each other on what the religion means. More »

Oh! Now I Remember It. God Bless Me.

Anna Holmes — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:10:00 EDT

[Nazareth, Israel; May 14. Image via Getty]

The Royal We

Sadie Stein — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:20:00 EDT

While anti-Monarchists are unlikely to give a toss, those aspiring queens with an allegiance to Rome will be glad to hear that the 300 year-old law that prevents Catholics from ascending to the British throne (or marrying rulers!) is being challenged by those who claim the archaic legislation flies it the face of the Sex Discrimination Act and the Human Rights Act. The Act of Settlement, obvs cooked up by Puritan types to ensure Protestant government, not only implicitly rules out Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Pagans etc. but, just to cover all its bases, also states that men rank above women. I guess we can conceivably see how they'd want a Protestant to be head of the Church of England, but the spouse thing? Um, those of us who like crowns beg to differ. [The F Word] More »

The Vatican: Vote Against Abortion Or Be Damned

Megan Carpentier — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EDT

By Vatican standards, American Catholics (and particularly American politicians) are some of the worst misbehave-ers in the world. Long gone are the halcyon days of JFK, when he could stand up and proudly say that as a politician in America, he was answerable only to his constituents and not to the Pope in Rome. What's worse, long-gone are the days where the Pope in Rome was okay with that. These days, as far as the Pope is concerned, if you aren't toeing the line on abortion in America (which means advocating that it be made illegal), you're going to hell, as the International Herald Tribune reports. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not go to Confession because you will not be forgiven. Well, that's one way to bump up the rolls of the Church, I guess. More »

Oh My God

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Women have always been marginalized in the Catholic church, and one priest, Rev. Antonio Rungi, is finally publicly recognizing that. So what is his plan for heightening the profile and importance for nuns? He'll be holding an online beauty contest to let people know that not all nuns are "old and dour." The "Miss Sister" contest will begin this September and people will be able to "vote [online] for the nun they consider a model." Rungi goes on to say that "being ugly is not a requirement for becoming a nun. External beauty is gift from God, and we mustn't hide it." Except 13 years of Catholic schooling have taught some of us that ridding oneself of vanity is a requirement for becoming a nun. It's one of the reasons (besides the whole no sex thing) that made convents seem so sucky. Anyway, thanks Catholicism, for breaking down stereotypes in the only way you know how. [MSNBC] More »

Pope Offers Pro-Choice Politicians A Very Light Snack

Moe — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EDT

Oh my GOD POLITICIANS WHO UPHOLD THE RIGHT TO A BABYKILLING RECEIVED THE BODY OF CHRIST DESPITE KILLING BABIES. What is next, women who actually have submitted their wombs to this murderous murder method? The abortion doctors themselves? WHAT IF THE VIRGIN MARY HAD MADE THIS SO CALLED "CHOICE"?? No one would have believed her rape kit! [AP]

Senator Bob Casey Crowns Barack Obama Savior Of Pennsylvania Fetuses!

Moe — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Some days I love Pennsylvania. Like: I love how the Victorian liquor laws actually mean good wine is cheaper there. I love how they still have a mob. I love how no one in Pennsylvania would tell you that being a state senator is no big whup. I love how I would regularly bite into a Tastykake from the office vending machine wherein the filling had essentially fermented from lack of preservatives. Where else would the black reform-minded mayor of Philly endorse Hillary Clinton? Where else would you get Amish coke traffickers selling to motorcycle gangs? And where else would the Catholic white pro-life political scion machine-made senator suddenly decide to embark on a hope-filled bus trip with the black socialist candidate? I'll bet he was just "inspired." Pennsylvania: it's the "Everything Seems Possible Where Nothing Is Possible" state. Megan and I discuss that and The Iraq, along with whether Condi Rice is black, whether John McCain is smart, whether Hillary can ...blah blah. Happy Friday! Click for that and hot Efraim's MySpace profile and more Green Zone/T-Zone analogies. Oh, and an EXCLUSIVE dispatch from an Obama speech to rich people. More »

Our Faith In God Continues To Dwindle If Tori Spelling Is Now A Minister

Jennifer — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:05:17 EDT

Tori Spelling has become a minister. Proving what we have been telling y'all for round about a week now: God is dead. [USA Today]