Friday, October 29, 2021

Archbishop Coakley of Oklahoma City: A culture of life means an end to the death penalty

If we mean to build a culture of life, we must commit anew to emptying death row and abolishing capital punishment. We are at a crossroads in the United States as we wrestle with the question of inherent human dignity—born and unborn, innocent and guilty, young and old, well and infirm. Amid the perennial debate…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Reactions to State of Oklahoma’s execution of John Grant by lethal injection, the first since 2015

The Rev. Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of Oklahoma City, issued the following statement, sharply criticizing Gov. Kevin Stitt and Attorney General John O’Connor for hurrying to resume executions. “The unnecessary rush to restart executions in Oklahoma by the governor and attorney general is concerning and disappointing. Throughout our nation’s history we have justified the killing…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Archbishop Coakley’s Statement on Oklahoma’s Execution of John Grant

October 28, 2021 “The unnecessary rush to restart executions in Oklahoma by the governor and attorney general is concerning and disappointing. Throughout our nation’s history we have justified the killing or mistreatment of our neighbors by lessening their value as human beings – whether it is the unborn, aged, native populations, African Americans or those…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

New York City Council Member Calls for Open Discrimination Against Catholics

A New York City Council Member urged the city to consider cutting off funding for Catholic Charities of Brooklyn because it is “anti-gay.” “Anti-gay discrimination is real and tremendously hurtful especially when it is done by the bishop of the church of which you are a faithful member,” wrote Council Member Daniel Dromm, who chairs…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Explainer: Companies provide abortion drugs in light of state restrictions

As more states enact strict abortion laws and bans, some companies are tragically stepping in to provide medication abortions through drugs obtained overseas. This development narrows the window of opportunity to serve women in crisis and educate them about other options, ends the life of a baby, and could pose a greater risk to the…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Archbishop Coakley of Oklahoma City: A culture of life means an end to the death penalty

If we mean to build a culture of life, we must commit anew to emptying death row and abolishing capital punishment. We are at a crossroads in the United States as we wrestle with the question of inherent human dignity—born and unborn, innocent and guilty, young and old, well and infirm. Amid the perennial debate…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Reactions to State of Oklahoma’s execution of John Grant by lethal injection, the first since 2015

The Rev. Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of Oklahoma City, issued the following statement, sharply criticizing Gov. Kevin Stitt and Attorney General John O’Connor for hurrying to resume executions. “The unnecessary rush to restart executions in Oklahoma by the governor and attorney general is concerning and disappointing. Throughout our nation’s history we have justified the killing…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Archbishop Coakley’s Statement on Oklahoma’s Execution of John Grant

October 28, 2021 “The unnecessary rush to restart executions in Oklahoma by the governor and attorney general is concerning and disappointing. Throughout our nation’s history we have justified the killing or mistreatment of our neighbors by lessening their value as human beings – whether it is the unborn, aged, native populations, African Americans or those…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Oklahoma Supreme Court temporarily blocks 3 pro-life laws

The Oklahoma Supreme Court temporarily blocked three anti-abortion laws from taking effect Monday. In light of pending litigation challenging the constitutionality of five new restrictive abortion laws, the court on Monday granted a temporary injunction preventing two laws that restrict medication abortions and one that would limit who can perform the procedure from taking effect Nov. 1. A…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Judge denies execution stays for Julius Jones, 4 other inmates

An Oklahoma City federal judge on Monday denied Julius Jones and four other inmates execution stays. The decision came just three days before the first execution is scheduled to be carried out. The inmates immediately appealed. “The Supreme Court has made it clear that the state’s interest in timely enforcement of its judgments cannot be ignored,” U.S.…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Columbia Law Professor Explains Why Public Schools Are Tearing America Apart

Smearing parents fed up with their kids’ schools as “domestic terrorists” seems to be a wild, incendiary charge with little basis in reality. Yet it’s the basis on which the U.S. attorney general has convened an FBI task force to surveil and intimidate parents who object to what their children are being taught, and how…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

White House ‘National Gender Strategy’ Uses COVID as ‘Inflection Point’ to ‘Build Back Better’

The White House issued a “national gender strategy” Monday, claiming COVID-19 has “fueled” a number of crises which demand “we build back better.” “President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that advancing gender equity and equality is fundamental to every individual’s economic security, safety, health, and ability to exercise their most basic rights,” according to…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

What Did Public Schools Do With COVID Relief Money? Whatever They Wanted.

The federal government sent around $190 billion in aid to public schools across the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. That is a lot of money by any standards, but in terms of federal spending on primary education, it is a shockingly large amount: as Reason‘s Matt Welch explained when surveying the Biden administration’s weak moves toward…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Supreme Court temporarily blocks 3 pro-life laws

The Oklahoma Supreme Court temporarily blocked three anti-abortion laws from taking effect Monday. In light of pending litigation challenging the constitutionality of five new restrictive abortion laws, the court on Monday granted a temporary injunction preventing two laws that restrict medication abortions and one that would limit who can perform the procedure from taking effect Nov. 1. A…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Judge denies execution stays for Julius Jones, 4 other inmates

An Oklahoma City federal judge on Monday denied Julius Jones and four other inmates execution stays. The decision came just three days before the first execution is scheduled to be carried out. The inmates immediately appealed. “The Supreme Court has made it clear that the state’s interest in timely enforcement of its judgments cannot be ignored,” U.S.…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Oklahoma AG accuses two parole board members of bias, wants them off Julius Jones’ clemency hearing

Oklahoma’s new attorney general wants the chairman and another member of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board banned from two upcoming clemency hearings on bias grounds. Attorney General John O’Connor is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to order the two to disqualify themselves. A clemency hearing for high-profile death row inmate Julius Jones is scheduled for Tuesday.…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Op-ed: “Executing an innocent man is not justice; spare the life of Julius Jones”

I am a Christian, a lifelong Oklahoman, a former law clerk for the Honorable Gary Lumpkin on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, and former appointee to the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility Tribunal, where I served for six years. I believe in our legal system, but I also know it is capable of…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Lawmakers Want 12 Weeks of Paid Family Leave While Biden is Offering 4 Weeks

President Joe Biden flew to Pennsylvania to keep pushing his massive spending proposals. One thing several lawmakers want desperately is paid family leave. That is something the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has supported, although whether it makes the final cut remains to be seen. Lawmakers want 12 weeks of paid family leave, but the…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma AG Joins 17 States to Condemn DOJ Targeting School Board Meetings

The attorneys general of 17 U.S. states have formed a coalition denouncing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI for attempting to “chill lawful dissent by parents voiced during local school board meetings.” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and 16 other state chief legal officers signed a letter to President Joe Biden on Monday, blasting…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Senate committee proposes rollback of pro-life policies

A Senate committee introduced nine budget bills on Monday that would roll back several pro-life policies, allowing for domestic funding of abortions and funding of international pro-abortion groups. As part of the appropriations process for the 2022 fiscal year, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday released nine bills allocating funding to various federal agencies and…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma AG accuses two parole board members of bias, wants them off Julius Jones’ clemency hearing

Oklahoma’s new attorney general wants the chairman and another member of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board banned from two upcoming clemency hearings on bias grounds. Attorney General John O’Connor is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to order the two to disqualify themselves. A clemency hearing for high-profile death row inmate Julius Jones is scheduled for Tuesday.…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Op-ed: “Executing an innocent man is not justice; spare the life of Julius Jones”

I am a Christian, a lifelong Oklahoman, a former law clerk for the Honorable Gary Lumpkin on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, and former appointee to the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility Tribunal, where I served for six years. I believe in our legal system, but I also know it is capable of…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma AG Joins 17 States to Condemn DOJ Targeting School Board Meetings

The attorneys general of 17 U.S. states have formed a coalition denouncing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI for attempting to “chill lawful dissent by parents voiced during local school board meetings.” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and 16 other state chief legal officers signed a letter to President Joe Biden on Monday, blasting…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Appeals court reinstates several Oklahoma death row prisoners to lawsuit

A federal appeals court has ordered that several Oklahoma death row prisoners be reinstated to a lawsuit challenging the state’s lethal injection protocol. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday said a lower court made a mistake by dismissing six prisoners from the lawsuit. A group of more than two dozen death row…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma lawmakers studying worsening teacher shortage

Three former teachers now serving as Oklahoma lawmakers are studying the state’s worsening teacher shortage to see what policy measures might be of help. “The teacher pipeline is one of the critical issues we can address in the 2022 legislative session,” said Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, who previously taught government at Booker T. Washington High…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma executions could be called off for Julius Jones, others

High-profile death row inmate Julius Jones and five others scheduled for execution could get a reprieve because of a federal appeals court decision Friday. Jones, 41, is set to be executed Nov. 18. Jones claims that he is innocent, that the real killer framed him and that his trial was unfair. Millions signed a petition in his support after ABC in…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Appeals court reinstates several Oklahoma death row prisoners to lawsuit

A federal appeals court has ordered that several Oklahoma death row prisoners be reinstated to a lawsuit challenging the state’s lethal injection protocol. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday said a lower court made a mistake by dismissing six prisoners from the lawsuit. A group of more than two dozen death row…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma lawmakers studying worsening teacher shortage

Three former teachers now serving as Oklahoma lawmakers are studying the state’s worsening teacher shortage to see what policy measures might be of help. “The teacher pipeline is one of the critical issues we can address in the 2022 legislative session,” said Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, who previously taught government at Booker T. Washington High…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma executions could be called off for Julius Jones, others

High-profile death row inmate Julius Jones and five others scheduled for execution could get a reprieve because of a federal appeals court decision Friday. Jones, 41, is set to be executed Nov. 18. Jones claims that he is innocent, that the real killer framed him and that his trial was unfair. Millions signed a petition in his support after ABC in…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Saturday, October 16, 2021

What if the next generation of certified teachers were already in the classrooms?

To characterize that Oklahoma still has a teacher shortage problem today is an outdated talking point. We now have a clogged pipeline perpetuated by the lack of innovation within the education sector. Our state’s elected officials have made great strides in recent years to address the root of the initial shortage by strengthening resources for…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Before Supreme Court, Kentucky’s attorney general asks to intervene in defense of pro-life law

The office of Kentucky’s attorney general appeared at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, asking to be allowed to intervene in defense of the state’s dismemberment abortion ban. Kentucky’s pro-life law, H.B. 454, passed the state legislature in 2018 and was signed into law by then-governor Matt Bevin (R). It bans the practice of live dismemberment…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Multi-million dollar Oklahoma County jail options presented, citizens call for community investment

Architectural consultants hired by the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council shared two multimillion-dollar options for the future of the Oklahoma County Jail in a meeting Thursday evening as citizens called for investments in social services instead. The options, one to build an entirely new facility and a second to renovate the existing facility and…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

US bishops welcome increased refugee admissions cap

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced Monday their positive reaction to the news that the refugee cap will increase to 125,000 for the coming fiscal year. “The last few years have had a devastating impact on refugee resettlement, all while we witness the greatest forced migration crises in decades,” said an Oct. 11…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Appeals Court Reinstates Texas Heartbeat Law

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily reinstated the Texas Heartbeat Act. The action blocks an injunction ordered by lower court ruling that had barred Texas from enforcing the law while the case is litigated in the courts. The Texas Heartbeat Act protects an unborn child once a heartbeat can be detected, at approximately…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

What if the next generation of certified teachers were already in the classrooms?

To characterize that Oklahoma still has a teacher shortage problem today is an outdated talking point. We now have a clogged pipeline perpetuated by the lack of innovation within the education sector. Our state’s elected officials have made great strides in recent years to address the root of the initial shortage by strengthening resources for…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Multi-million dollar Oklahoma County jail options presented, citizens call for community investment

Architectural consultants hired by the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council shared two multimillion-dollar options for the future of the Oklahoma County Jail in a meeting Thursday evening as citizens called for investments in social services instead. The options, one to build an entirely new facility and a second to renovate the existing facility and…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Texas To Appeal Judge’s Order Blocking Pro-Life Law

Texas is planning to appeal the recent order of a U.S. District Court judge that blocked the state’s new pro-life law. As Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tweeted, “We disagree with the Court’s decision and have already taken steps to immediately appeal it to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The sanctity of human life…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Prosecutor again asks court to bar duo from death row case

An Oklahoma prosecutor is again asking the state Supreme Court to remove two members of the Pardon and Parole Board from the case of a high-profile death row inmate. Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater filed the motion Monday to remove Kelly Doyle and Andrew Luck from the clemency hearing for Julius Jones. Prater alleges…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Prosecutor again asks court to bar duo from death row case

An Oklahoma prosecutor is again asking the state Supreme Court to remove two members of the Pardon and Parole Board from the case of a high-profile death row inmate. Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater filed the motion Monday to remove Kelly Doyle and Andrew Luck from the clemency hearing for Julius Jones. Prater alleges…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Friday, October 8, 2021

Oklahoma schools Superintendent Hofmeister to challenge Stitt for governor as a Democrat

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister will run for governor in 2022 as a Democrat. Hofmeister, a longtime Republican from Tulsa, announced her campaign against Gov. Kevin Stitt in an interview with the Tulsa World posted Wednesday night and with an video advertisement and news release Thursday. “I’m running for Governor as a Democrat because I believe in supporting our children’s…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Judge blocks two Oklahoma abortion laws; declines to act against three others

A judge Monday blocked Oklahoma laws that would have banned abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected and would have deemed abortions as “unprofessional conduct” by doctors. The judge, however, refused to block enforcement of a new law that requires abortion doctors in Oklahoma to be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. “This court … believes that irreparable…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma schools Superintendent Hofmeister to challenge Stitt for governor as a Democrat

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister will run for governor in 2022 as a Democrat. Hofmeister, a longtime Republican from Tulsa, announced her campaign against Gov. Kevin Stitt in an interview with the Tulsa World posted Wednesday night and with an video advertisement and news release Thursday. “I’m running for Governor as a Democrat because I believe in supporting our children’s…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Assisted suicide undermines medicine, targets the vulnerable, panel warns

Assisted suicide undermines the practice of medicine and endangers persons with disabilities, a panel of experts argued in an online event held on Tuesday, Oct. 5. The event, titled “Deadly, Not Dignified,” was hosted by the Maryland Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the three Catholic dioceses in Maryland. “Medicine is a noble profession.…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Parents respond to DOJ, school boards’ statements: ‘I am what a domestic terrorist looks like?’

The Justice Department (DOJ) is facing a wave of backlash as parents criticize its recent decision to investigate potential acts of violence against school boards across the country. It came after the National School Boards Association (NSBA) asked the Biden administration for assistance, suggesting that the threats and acts of violence were similar to domestic…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Missouri executes inmate after Holy See appealed for clemency

Missouri on Tuesday evening executed Ernest Johnson, 61, an inmate convicted of murdering three people in the 1990s, after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Johnson’s emergency appeal for a stay of execution. The Holy See had also advocated for a halt to the execution. In an unsigned order on Tuesday evening, the Supreme Court denied…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Judge blocks two Oklahoma abortion laws; declines to act against three others

A judge Monday blocked Oklahoma laws that would have banned abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected and would have deemed abortions as “unprofessional conduct” by doctors. The judge, however, refused to block enforcement of a new law that requires abortion doctors in Oklahoma to be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. “This court … believes that irreparable…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Saturday, October 2, 2021

School Board Group Labels CRT Critics as Terrorists; Oklahoma Lawmakers Respond

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has urged President Biden to have opponents of Critical Race Theory (CRT) investigated and prosecuted under federal anti-terrorism laws—even though the group did not identify any significant instance of organized terrorism associated with CRT opponents who have spoken out at school board meetings across the nation. In response, Oklahoma…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Sen. Julie Daniels, Senate colleagues request Oklahoma State School Boards Association denounce letter from the National School ...

Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, and 12 additional state senators, sent a letter to the Executive Director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA), Shawn Hime, on Friday, asking him to denounce statements from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent to President Joe Biden. Daniels referenced a letter sent by NSBA to the president…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Supreme Court asked to declare that McGirt was retroactive

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last year that Oklahoma had no criminal jurisdiction over a Native American on the Muscogee Creek reservation should apply to all prior criminal cases in Oklahoma involving Indians on reservations, lawyers for a Native American inmate told the court this week. A petition filed on Wednesday for Clifton Merrill Parish says…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma student achievement plummets amidst school shutdown

Academic achievement in Oklahoma public schools plunged during the COVID shutdowns that began in spring 2020 and continued in many districts throughout much of the following school year, based on the newly released results of state academic testing presented to the State Board of Education. Fewer than one in four Oklahoma students performed at grade…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Counter Pelosi’s abortion stand with roses and rosaries, Archbishop Cordileone says

People should pray especially for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s change of heart on abortion, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has said in an announcement of a prayer campaign for her. “A conversion of heart of the majority of our Congressional representatives is needed on this issue, beginning with the leader of the House, Speaker…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

School Board Group Labels CRT Critics as Terrorists; Oklahoma Lawmakers Respond

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has urged President Biden to have opponents of Critical Race Theory (CRT) investigated and prosecuted under federal anti-terrorism laws—even though the group did not identify any significant instance of organized terrorism associated with CRT opponents who have spoken out at school board meetings across the nation. In response, Oklahoma…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Sen. Julie Daniels, Senate colleagues request Oklahoma State School Boards Association denounce letter from the National School ...

Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, and 12 additional state senators, sent a letter to the Executive Director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA), Shawn Hime, on Friday, asking him to denounce statements from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent to President Joe Biden. Daniels referenced a letter sent by NSBA to the president…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Supreme Court asked to declare that McGirt was retroactive

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last year that Oklahoma had no criminal jurisdiction over a Native American on the Muscogee Creek reservation should apply to all prior criminal cases in Oklahoma involving Indians on reservations, lawyers for a Native American inmate told the court this week. A petition filed on Wednesday for Clifton Merrill Parish says…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Oklahoma student achievement plummets amidst school shutdown

Academic achievement in Oklahoma public schools plunged during the COVID shutdowns that began in spring 2020 and continued in many districts throughout much of the following school year, based on the newly released results of state academic testing presented to the State Board of Education. Fewer than one in four Oklahoma students performed at grade…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Friday, October 1, 2021

Pandemic toll on academics evident in Oklahoma’s newly released 2020-21 state test results

Results are in from the first state tests administered to Oklahoma students since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and the numbers should be alarming, the state superintendent said. While test participation rates were off overall, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said they are still among the highest participation rates in the nation and offer clear…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Archbishop: Oklahoma’s rush to execute harms culture of life

Oklahoma state officials plan to carry out seven executions over the next five months. They will be the first executions in Oklahoma in nearly seven years. This comes at a time when a federal court has agreed to look at the state’s problematic lethal injection protocol as part of a pending lawsuit that questions the…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Six things you should know about the Afghan refugees and the resettlement program in Oklahoma

Patrick Raglow, executive director of Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City, learned that the youngest members of a family of Afghan refugees newly arrived to Oklahoma were trying to wash their feet, along with their face, hands and arms before prayer, as is custom in their Islamic faith. Many observant Muslims perform a purification ritual before prayer and many mosques are designed…Read More



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via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Pandemic toll on academics evident in Oklahoma’s newly released 2020-21 state test results

Results are in from the first state tests administered to Oklahoma students since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and the numbers should be alarming, the state superintendent said. While test participation rates were off overall, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said they are still among the highest participation rates in the nation and offer clear…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Archbishop: Oklahoma’s rush to execute harms culture of life

Oklahoma state officials plan to carry out seven executions over the next five months. They will be the first executions in Oklahoma in nearly seven years. This comes at a time when a federal court has agreed to look at the state’s problematic lethal injection protocol as part of a pending lawsuit that questions the…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma

Six things you should know about the Afghan refugees and the resettlement program in Oklahoma

Patrick Raglow, executive director of Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City, learned that the youngest members of a family of Afghan refugees newly arrived to Oklahoma were trying to wash their feet, along with their face, hands and arms before prayer, as is custom in their Islamic faith. Many observant Muslims perform a purification ritual before prayer and many mosques are designed…Read More



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from via Blog – Catholic Conference of Oklahoma