News

Susan G. Komen Foundation Drops Plans To Cut Planned Parenthood Grants After Backlash

February 3, 2012

NEW YORK — The Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity on Friday abandoned plans to eliminate grants to Planned Parenthood. The startling decision came after three days of virulent criticism that resounded across the Internet, jeopardizing Komen's iconic image. "We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives," a Komen statement said. As first reported by The Associated Press on...Read More >

Diocese of Harrisburg upset about birth control mandate

January 31, 2012

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg is upset with the federal government's recent decision requiring church-affiliated institutions to cover free birth control for employees. Bishops across the country said the decision violates religious freedom. Many wrote letters to parishioners that were read by priests at Mass on Sunday. The bishop of Pittsburgh said the government is telling Catholics, "to Hell with you." Many bishops said they won't comply and...Read More >

AP Exclusive: Amid abortion debate, Komen cancer charity halting grants to Planned Parenthood

January 31, 2012

NEW YORK — The nation’s leading breast-cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is halting its partnerships with Planned Parenthood affiliates — creating a bitter rift, linked to the abortion debate, between two iconic organizations that have assisted millions of women. The change will mean a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, mainly for breast exams. Planned Parenthood says the move results from Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion activists. Komen says the...Read More >

Ruling on Contraception Draws Battle Lines at Catholic Colleges

January 29, 2012

Bridgette Dunlap, a Fordham University law student, knew that the school’s health plan had to pay for birth control pills, in keeping with New York state law. What she did not find out until she was in an examining room, “in the paper dress,” was that the student health service — in keeping with Roman Catholic tenets — would simply refuse to prescribe them. As a result, students have had to go to Planned Parenthood or private doctors to get prescriptions. Some, unable to afford the doctor...Read More >