Kate E. Cavanaugh
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Articles by Kate E. Cavanaugh
Elevated contractility drives implantation failure in mouse embryos from aged females
Abstract Women in their mid-30s experience a marked decline in fertility. The origin of these fertility defects resides in the implantation capacity of the embryo itself, but the mechanistic basis of this impairment is not well understood. Here we identify a core mechanical defect in embryos from aged females that impairs their implantation competence.
Ireland group calls for inquiry into deaths of 108 babies born alive after abortion
Health Service Executive Head Office in Dublin, Ireland. |Credit: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Bishops call Illinois assisted suicide law signed by Gov. JB Pritzker ‘heartbreaking’
CNA Staff, Dec 12, 2025 / 16:52 pm Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law an assisted suicide bill that Catholic leaders have ardently opposed. Pritzker, who met with Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 19, cited “freedom,” “choice,” and “autonomy” as his reasons for signing the bill, which allows doctors to give terminally ill patients life-ending drugs if they request them. According to the law, patients must be mentally capable and have a prognosis of six months or less to live.
Top health officials delayed abortion pill safety review, report claims
CNA Staff, Dec 10, 2025 / 18:30 pm Pro-life advocates are calling for action as top health officials deny reports that they are delaying a promised safety review of the abortion pill. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “has delayed a promised review of safety data” until after midterm elections at Commissioner Marty Makary’s request, a Tuesday report by Bloomberg Law claimed, citing unnamed sources.
California pregnancy centers appeal abortion pill reversal censorship
Washington D.C., Feb 10, 2021 / 05:00 pm (CNA).- Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston “followed the science” and have kept its students safe amid the pandemic, the archdiocesan superintendent told CNA on Wednesday. “I think the Catholic schools, overall, have been vindicated,” said Thomas Carroll, superintendent for the Archdiocese of Boston schools.
California pregnancy centers appeal abortion pill reversal censorship
CNA Staff, May 12, 2025 / 16:06 pm California pregnancy centers filed an appeal last week asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to stop the state from censoring pro-life pregnancy centers that provide abortion pill reversals.
California pregnancy centers appeal abortion pill reversal censorship
Credit: ivanko80/Shutterstock By Kate Cavanaugh CNA Staff, May 12, 2025 / 16:06 pm (CNA). California pregnancy centers filed an appeal last week asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to stop the state from censoring pro-life pregnancy centers that provide abortion pill reversals.
Oklahoma Governor Signs Order Directing State to Prioritize Religious Freedom
The order, announced on Monday, initiates a review of various state laws and policies to ensure they comply with religious freedom protections enshrined in both the U.S. Constitution and the Oklahoma Constitution. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks to attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. (photo: CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Nation April 1, 2025 Oklahoma Gov.
Ohio Legislature passes bill requiring school bathroom use based on biological sex
The Ohio Legislature approved a bill on Wednesday that would require students in public K–12 schools to use bathrooms that correspond to their sex rather than their subjective “gender identity.” The 74-page S.B. 104 would “enact the Protect All Students Act regarding single-sex bathroom access in primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education.” The Protect All Students Act would require K–12 schools to designate all bathrooms and locker rooms that are accessible by...
Ohio Legislature passes bill requiring school bathroom use based on biological sex
CNA Staff, Nov 14, 2024 / 14:40 pm The Ohio Legislature approved a bill on Wednesday that would require students in public K–12 schools to use bathrooms that correspond to their sex rather than their subjective “gender identity.” The 74-page S.B. 104 would “enact the Protect All Students Act regarding single-sex bathroom access in primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education.” The Protect All Students Act would require K–12 schools to designate all bathrooms and locker...
Pope Francis appoints long-standing parish priest as New Zealand bishop
Pope Francis appoints long-standing parish priest as New Zealand bishop By Kate Cavanaugh for CNA Pope Francis on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, appointed Father Richard Laurenson as the new bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton in northern New Zealand. / Credit: New Zealand Bishops’ Conference Denver, Colo., Oct 25, 2023 / 17:30 pm (CNA). Pope Francis on Wednesday appointed Father Richard Laurenson as the new bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton in northern New Zealand.
Pope Francis appoints long-standing parish priest as New Zealand bishop
Denver, Colo., Oct 25, 2023 / 17:30 pm Pope Francis on Wednesday appointed Father Richard Laurenson as the new bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton in northern New Zealand. Bishop-elect Laurenson, 55, is a cat lover and canon lawyer who currently serves a parish on the Papamoa coast, All Saints by the Sea. He was born, raised, and ordained in Hamilton. The diocese has been without a bishop since 2021, when its standing bishop, Bishop Stephen Lowe, was appointed as bishop of Auckland.
Judge halts Colorado’s abortion-pill reversal ban while Catholic
By Kate Cavanaugh A Denver-area Catholic medical clinic can continue to help women reverse unwanted chemical abortions despite a state ban after a judge issued a temporary injunction Saturday.
Judge halts Colorado’s abortion-pill reversal ban while Catholic nurses’ lawsuit proceeds
Denver, Colo., Oct 23, 2023 / 18:50 pm A Denver-area medical clinic can continue to help women reverse unwanted chemical abortions despite a state ban after a judge issued a temporary injunction Saturday.
15-Year-Old Entrepreneur Shares Inspiration for "Rings of the Lord" Rosary Business
A 15-year-old’s successful rosary-making business began with a challenge from a friend and an Irish penal rosary. When a family friend made William Henry an Irish penal rosary—an easily hidden, one-decade rosary used during the time of Catholic persecution in Ireland—Henry was fascinated. “I loved it,” he said in an interview with CatholicVote. “I would carry it around with me.” As his devotion to the rosary grew, he told his friend he should sell the rosaries.
Synod Pilgrimage Recalls Early Church Martyrs
A priest holds a rosary behind his back, silently praying where the early Christians once celebrated mass; hands reaching out to touch age-old rocks where martyrs were once laid to rest; ancient symbols of Christianity carved into the walls from a time when Christianity was young. These images marked the Synod on Synodality’s pilgrimage through the catacombs on October 12.
Müller Criticizes Doctrine Chief for Ambiguous Response to Dubia
Cardinal Gerhard Müller recently critiqued the head of the doctrine of faith for his response to Cardinal Dominik Duka’s dubia, saying its ambiguity could have dire consequences for Church teaching on Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Müller’s in-depth analysis of the response of Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, the head of the dicastery for the doctrine of the faith (DDF) was originally published by Vatican analyst Sandro Magister on October 13 on his popular media outlet, Settimo Cielo.
Synod Opening Honors Anniversary of Second Vatican Council
On the anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, October 11, members of the Synod on Synodality joined in prayer to begin their discussions. Synod delegates, divided into language-based and issue-based small groups, sat around small tables with notebooks, laptops, and binders in the Paul VI Audience Hall. Participants were led in chant, a responsorial psalm, and prayer. Cardinal Arthur Roche read from St. John XXIII’s opening speech at the Second Vatican Council in 1962.
Peace at the Synod: Vatican Holds Adoration Outside St. Peter’s Basilica
CV NEWS FEED // On the evening of October 10, Catholics from across the world gathered to pray and sing together before the Blessed Sacrament at the heart of the Church. Adoration and benediction took place in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. In the midst of the October 2023 Synod on Synodality, for which 365 delegates have gathered from around the world to discuss pressing Church issues, the Vatican offered a time of quiet contemplation.
Cardinal Tobin Struggles to Respond to Latin Mass Question at Synod Press Conference
Cardinal Joseph Tobin spoke at a press conference at the Vatican on October 10, where he said that everyone’s concerns are being heard but that traditional Latin mass parish closures are simply “a sign of the times.” Tobin said that the synodal small groups are incorporating local concerns in their discussions. But when American journalist Diane Montagna asked Tobin about active traditional Latin Mass parishes being “banished” from their churches in the U.S., Tobin had difficulty answering.
Synod Reflection: Fr. Timothy Radcliffe Says Open Disagreement Drives Communion
Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., reflected on Christ’s model for communion in his opening reflection for the synodal congregation on October 9, suggesting that open disagreement can lead to deeper encounters among the faithful. The general rapporteur of the Synod, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich warned that tensions would rise this week during the synod discussions.
Orthodox Delegate Says Orthodox Practice “Differs Greatly” from 2023 Synod on Synodality
CV NEWS FEED // An Eastern Orthodox delegate to the Synod on Synodality observed that Orthodox practice “differs greatly” from the ongoing Synod on Synodality in a testimony at the General Assembly on October 9. Job of Pisidia (born Ihor Wladimir Getcha), an Eastern Orthodox Metropolitan of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, outlined the Orthodox church’s historical practice for synods on Monday morning.
Bishop Robert E. Barron Speaks at Harvard, Challenges Secular Views and Radical Freedom and Humanism of Christianity
CV NEWS FEED // With a line flowing out the doors at Harvard University’s Memorial Church, about 1,000 students attended Bishop Robert E. Barron’s lecture on the Catholic intellectual tradition in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this week. The bishop of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, is well-known for his online presence on Word on Fire and his YouTube channel, which has almost 150 million views, as well as for his talk on religion at Google in 2018.
Pilgrims Gather to Celebrate Vatican Statue Dedication of First Korean Priest
CV NEWS FEED // On September 16, about 300 Korean pilgrims, religious sisters, and clergy gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome for the unveiling of a statue of the first Korean Catholic priest, St. Andrew Kim Taegon. Korean Catholics wearing brightly colored hanboks, gray religious habits, and red stoles representing St. Andrew Kim’s martyrdom eagerly awaited the statue’s unveiling. Fr. MichaelKong, a young priest studying in Rome, attended the dedication ceremony.
Lillian Fallon on Her New Book, ‘Theology of Style’ on Seeing Yourself with God’s Eyes
CV NEWS FEED // When you think of Pope John Paul II, you don’t usually think of Levi’s jeans, chunky gold rings, or embroidered vintage dresses—unless you’re Lillian Fallon. The Catholic fashion-enthusiast and writer fuses personal style with St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body in her recently released book, Theology of Style.
Arson Confirmed at Oldest Parish in Salem, Oregon
CV NEWS FEED // A suspect is in custody for causing the fire that ravaged St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Salem, Oregon, this week. What began as a dumpster fire in the early hours of the morning of August 31 soon escalated, spreading to the roof of the church building. On the same day, the Salem Police Department announced the arrest of a suspect, Billy James Sweeten, in a statement shared with CatholicVote.
Fire at Oldest Parish in Salem Causes Severe Damage to St. Joseph's Catholic Church
CV NEWS FEED // A fire at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the oldest parish in Salem, Oregon, struck in the early hours of Thursday, causing severe damage after what began as a dumpster fire spread to the roof of the church. The local fire department was first dispatched at 2:30 a.m. According to Salem’s Deputy Fire Chief, Brian Carrara, 20 vehicles and about 70 firefighters were called in.
Why Aren't American Students Taught About Evil?
In an opinion piece for the Daily Signal, social commentator Dennis Prager observed that in all the talk about preferred pronouns, sexism, and phobias, American schools miss one key topic—evil. In “Why Young Americans Are Not Taught About Evil,” the Daily Signal columnist wrote that young people are not being taught about things people have done across history that can only be called evil. “When it comes to evil, the ignorance is enormous, often almost total.
Hungary Celebrates St. Stephen With a Cross in the Sky
CV NEWS FEED // On August 20, Hungary celebrated its first Christian king, St. Stephen, with fireworks and a drone light show that formed a cross over Budapest’s Parliament building—the same building once topped with a Soviet star. Held in the nation’s capital, the public celebration on the Feast of St. Stephen has been a tradition in Hungary since 1991, though the day itself has been a national holiday in since 1771. The holiday honors the nation’s Christian history.
West Virginia Dismisses Part of Abortion Pill Company’s Lawsuit
CV NEWS FEED // A US district judge dismissed parts of an abortion pill lawsuit on Thursday, reaffirming West Virginia’s right to restrict abortion. After GenBioPro sued West Virginia, claiming the state’s restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone caused the company “significant, ongoing economic injury,” the district judge dismissed its claim.
Maryland Catholics Celebrate 100th Anniversary of a Parish Priest
CV NEWS FEED // A group of Maryland Catholics still remembers a priest who served their area 100 years ago, and some hope for his canonization. During the late 1800s, Fr. Narcisse Martin served the community of Waldorf in southern Maryland for nearly 30 years. Though he was an accomplished theologian and scholar, Martin embraced his assignment in the small town community that was made up, at the time, of many Protestant farmers and former slaves who were baptized Catholic.
Catholic Preschools Sue Colorado Over Exclusion from Aid Program
CV NEWS FEED // Two Catholic preschools are suing Colorado after they were rejected from a state-funded tuition aid program that gives impoverished families school choice. St. Mary’s Catholic Parish and St. Bernadette’s filed a lawsuit on Wednesday after Colorado blocked them from the state’s Universal Preschool Program. Becket Law, a non-profit legal organization, is representing the preschools in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy.
Catholic Health Care Network CommonSpirit Partners With Abortion Biz
The largest U.S. Catholic health network, CommonSpirit, partnered with a women’s health telemedicine company that later began offering abortion pills, according to a new report by the Lepanto Institute. CommonSpirit partnered with Tia Women’s Health in 2021, and following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Tia Women’s Health began to offer medical abortions. Tia is a virtual and in-person women’s health company.
America’s Top Catholic Health Network Partners With Abortion Provider
CV NEWS FEED // The largest U.S. Catholic health network, CommonSpirit, partnered with a women’s health telemedicine company that later began offering abortion pills, according to a new report by the Lepanto Institute. CommonSpirit partnered with Tia Women’s Health in 2021, and following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Tia Women’s Health began to offer medical abortions. Tia is a virtual and in-person women’s health company.
Who Are Indiana’s Saints?
CV NEW FEED // A Saint, a Venerable, and a Servant of God who served the Catholic Church in Indiana are being honored in the Diocese of Evansville as part of Bishop Joseph M. Siege’s call to celebrate southwest Indiana’s Catholic heritage. The three will be honored in the Catholic Center, which is used as a meeting and office space for the diocese. Each holy man and woman has a designated conference room where their portrait will be displayed.
Wisconsin Girls Quitting Team After Officials Allow Male Participant
CV NEWS FEED // When a Wisconsin high school allowed a male to compete on the girls’ sports team, parents pulled their daughters off the team, Fox 11 News reported. The Green Bay Area Public School District told 50 parents and athletes on August 10 that a male would compete and possibly use locker rooms based on his gender “identity,” not his biological sex. Parents reported their daughters returning from summer games with unusual bruises and welts, reported Fox 11.
Maternity Wards Shut Down in Rural Areas Amid Plummeting Birthrates, Staff Shortages
CV NEWS FEED // Rural hospitals in Ohio, Illinois, New York, and Oregon are closing down their maternity wards due to a staff shortage and lower birth rates, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. University hospitals in Ashland, Ohio, OSF Healthcare in Pontiac, Illinois, and Trinity Health in Troy, New York, and Baker City, Oregon, will all shut down their maternity wards by the end of the year. In Pontiac, the local hospital, OSF St. James, saw a decline in births.
NY County Nixes Pro-Abortion ‘Bubble Zone’ Law
CV NEWS FEED // A Catholic organization won a lawsuit against a New York county this week, leading to the repeal of a “bubble zone law” that prohibited pro-life advocates from approaching women seeking abortions. Legislators in Westchester County, New York, voted to repeal an eight-foot “floating bubble zone” around people entering or leaving abortion facilities. The news comes after the county faced a lawsuit from the Thomas More Society.
Iowa Approves 18,600 Family School Savings Accounts
CV NEWS FEED // Iowa has approved 18,600 Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for its new school choice program. Over 29,000 students had applied for the program. Fewer than 1,000 applications are still under review. So far, the bill will help students in all but three of the 99 counties in Iowa. As CatholicVote previously reported, ESAs work by giving parents “back a portion of their education tax money to use toward their children’s education.” Iowa’s per-pupil allocation is about $7,600.
Wisconsin Help Center Serves Almost 1000 Babies a Month
CV NEWS FEED // Following a surge in clients after their rebranding, a Madison, Wisconsin center that helps pregnant moms and women with young children will launch a much-needed Diaper Dash fundraiser in September. The annual fun-run includes a 5k Run, a 2-Mile Walk, and a Kids’ Dash to raise funds and for “Diaper Need” in the community. On the weekend Roe v. Wade was overturned, Babies & Beyond celebrated 40 years of service and renamed the center to better reflect their work.
UK Vet Facing Charges for Praying Silently Near Abortion Facility
CV NEWS FEED // A local court in the United Kingdom filed criminal charges against an army veteran for praying outside an abortion facility. Adam Smith-Connor was fined for praying silently in November 2022 in a so-called “buffer zone,” an area outside an abortion facility where abortion protests are banned. A recent law in England and Wales established buffer zones restricting pro-life speech within 500 feet of abortion facilities.
Judge Blocks Illinois Bill Targeting Pregnancy Centers
CV NEWS FEED // A federal judge halted enforcement of the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act,” a bill passed in Illinois recently that targets pregnancy resource centers’ advertising and outreach. During the case National Institute of Family Life Advocates et al v. Raoul, U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston halted the bill, saying, “The bill is painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment.” Signed by Illinois Democratic Gov.
Wisconsin Help Center Serves Almost 1000 Babies a Month
CV NEWS FEED // Following a surge in clients after their rebranding, a Madison, Wisconsin center that helps pregnant moms and women with young children will launch a much-needed Diaper Dash fundraiser in September. The annual fun-run includes a 5k Run, a 2-Mile Walk, and a Kids’ Dash to raise funds and for “Diaper Need” in the community. On the weekend Roe v. Wade was overturned, Babies & Beyond celebrated 40 years of service and renamed the center to better reflect their work.
Pro-Life Victory: Guam Reinstates Abortion Counseling Law
CV NEWS FEED // The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reinstated an abortion counseling law in Guam that requires an in-person consultation before a medical abortion can take place. On August 1, Guam’s federal appeals court reestablished the law requiring women seeking abortions to meet with a doctor first. Guam is an unincorporated U.S. territory with a popularly elected governor, a small legislature, and a non-voting House representative.
Interview with a 64 Year-Old Priest Who Took the Iron Man Challenge
CV NEWS FEED // Christ asked St. Peter to walk on water, and he called Fr. Tom Baker to bike, run, and swim 70.3 miles—and to pray while doing it. Sixty-four year-old priests don’t usually run triathlons, but Baker, who has been a priest for 34 years, just completed an Ironman event in Oregon on July 23. Fr. Baker is a parish priest from Los Angeles. He recites scripture passages as he races, he says.
Over 100 Colleges Still Enforcing Vax Mandates
CV NEWS FEED // From Ivy Leagues to community colleges, universities across the nation are still mandating COVID shots three years after the outbreak of COVID-19. As Fall 2023 approaches, more than 100 colleges will be requiring the shots, according to the organization No College Mandates (NCM). According to the report, 101 colleges still require a COVID shot, including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Pittsburgh.
Biden Defunds School Archery, Hunting Programs
CV NEWS FEED // The Biden administration announced the defunding of archery and hunting programs in elementary and secondary schools due to a bill that Republican signees claim was misinterpreted. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona defunded archery and hunting programs across the nation under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which passed last year in the wake of several school shootings.
Assessment of Inclusive Practices
Actions That Moved Us Closer to Inclusion BY KATE E. CAVANAUGH Over the past year, I have served as a principal of a 330-student, K-4 elementary school after working for five years as a district-level administrator to support my suburban Chicago district as we moved to fully include students with disabilities in their neighborhood schools with their same-age peers.
Illinois Attacks Pro-Life Clinics, Immediately Faces Lawsuit
CV NEWS FEED // A Catholic organization filed a lawsuit against Illinois for a law signed yesterday that targets pregnancy help clinics. The bill blocks pro-life speech outside of abortion centers and impairs the freedom of pregnancy help centers by scrutinizing them for “misrepresentation” and “false pretense.” Signed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on July 27, the law prohibits so-called “deceptive practices” in pregnancy centers.
Tenn. School District Blocks Hillsdale Charter School
CV NEWS FEED // A Tennessee school district blocked a Hillsdale charter school from opening, while local public schools rank at an all-time low. The Jackson-Madison County District’s public schools blocked the Hillsdale charter school American Classical Education (ACE) earlier this week, a decision that was met with dismay from local families and educators.
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