Aleja Hertzler-McCain

Aleja Hertzler-McCain is a former NCR staff reporter.

By this Author

Paxton stares blankly in front of microphone.

Catholic Rio Grande Valley migrant shelter wins victory against Texas AG

“The targeting of this faith-based agency and broader attacks on the Catholic Church should deeply concern Catholics, religious liberty advocates and all people of good will,” Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, told Religion News Service in a statement, referring to Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a news conference in Washington April 26, 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in President Joe Biden's bid to rescind a Trump-era immigration policy that forced migrants to stay in Mexico to await U.S. hearings on their asylum claims. (CNS/Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

Texas attorney general moves to shut down Catholic migrant shelters

The lawsuit from Ken Paxton's office "seeks to revoke Annunciation House's authorization to do business in Texas and asks the court to appoint a receiver to liquidate their assets."

Bishop Edward Weisenburger (Diocese of Tucson, Arizona), Archbishop John Wester (Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico), St. Joseph Sr. Carol Zinn (executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious), Bishop Joseph Tyson (Diocese of Yakima, Washington), and Franciscan Lonnie Ellis (executive director of In Solidarity) at the White House for a meeting about climate change on Nov. 17. (Courtesy of In Solidarity)

US bishops, Catholic sister meet with White House officials about climate change

A group of U.S. bishops, led by Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester, and a Catholic sister met with senior White House officials about Pope Francis' latest climate letter, Laudate Deum, for 45 minutes on Nov. 17.

Group stands in front of a fence. White House is visible behind the fence. A person holds a sign that says, "Ceasefire."

Outside White House, Catholic protesters urge Biden to support cease-fire in Holy Land

About 60 Catholics gathered for a pray-in on Nov. 2, hoping President Joe Biden would hear their prayers for peace in Israel and Palestine and their calls for him to support a cease-fire and pursue diplomacy. 

From left: Sr. Mary Lilly Driciru, a Missionary Sister of Mary Mother of the Church and coordinator of the Africa Faith and Justice Network women's empowerment program in Uganda; a translator; and Notre Dame de Namur Sr. Eucharia Madueke address a rural community in Karamoja, Uganda, about child trafficking to Kampala, Uganda. (Courtesy of Eucharia Madueke)

Africa Faith and Justice Network marks 40 years of advancing advocacy

The Africa Faith and Justice Network, founded by three Catholic religious orders to lobby in D.C., is celebrating 40 years. The organization now also seeks to empower advocacy efforts across the African continent.

A group of Benedictine nuns from Fahr Monastery near Basel, Switzerland, call for "Votes for Catholic Women" at the Vatican during the October 2019 Synod of Bishops for the Amazon. (Deborah-Rose Milavec)

Theologians praise expanding synod to lay voting members as 'very significant'

In NCR interviews after the announcement that Pope Francis will expand participation in the upcoming synod to include laypersons as voting members, theologians and reform groups praised the move as a substantial change.

While evacuating during Hurricane Rita in 2005, several Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province in Texas spent 18 hours in cars on their way toward Dallas.

Sisters face hurricane season with plans and prayers

As they confront stronger storms, women's congregations are making investments in infrastructure and planning to make sure sisters stay safe and capable of continuing their ministries.