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Oregon officials back off ‘gender ideology mandate’ for mom seeking to adopt #Catholic Oregon officials have agreed they will not “categorically disqualify” a Christian woman from adopting or fostering children based on her religious beliefs about gender and human sexuality, which settles a three-and-a-half-year legal battle.The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) agreed to a legal settlement with Jessica Bates, who was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). It affirms the department will not consider her religious beliefs when evaluating her application for a certification to adopt children and will not attempt to regulate her speech about gender and sexuality.“Every child deserves a loving home, and children suffer when the government excludes people of faith from foster care because of the state’s own ideological crusade,” ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement following the Sept. 9 settlement.“Oregon officials turned Jessica away just because of her common-sense belief that parents should help children become comfortable with who they are instead of pushing them down a path of confusion and medicalization,” he said. “We believe this settlement is a win-win that protects constitutional rights and puts children’s interests first.”In September 2022, the ODHS denied Bates’ application because she would not comply with a state policy that requires applicants to agree they will “respect, accept and support the … sexual orientation, gender identity [and] gender expression … of a child or young adult” who is placed in the home, which ADF has characterized as a “gender ideology mandate.”Bates sued ODHS in March 2023, arguing that the policy violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion. The lawsuit stated she told the certification officer she would love any child as her own but would not facilitate a child’s gender transition through hormone therapy, use pronouns inconsistent with a child’s biological sex, or encourage gender expression inconsistent with the child’s biological sex or same-sex attraction.A federal district court initially ruled in favor of ODHS in December 2023, but an appellate panel of judges ruled in July 2025 that ODHS likely violated her constitutional rights and blocked the department from enforcing the rules against her while the lawsuit continued.Legal settlementPer the legal agreement, ODHS will allow Bates to apply for a certification and will not consider her religious views in any way.It states ODHS will not deny the application “because of her religious beliefs that sexual activity should occur only within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman, and a person should identify and seek to live consistent with his or her biological sex.”The settlement adds that this extends to her “desire to respectfully speak about, live out, parent, and make day-to-day caregiving decisions consistent with these sincerely held religious beliefs.”Under the agreement, ODHS also cannot require her to “agree to use prescribed words or language, including chosen pronouns, to express views about sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression inconsistent with her religious beliefs described above as a condition of certification.”“[The] ODHS may not enforce any per se standard, rule, or policy that precludes Bates from being considered for any particular placement, based in whole or in part based on her religious belief,” the settlement agreement states.It further prohibits ODHS from disqualifying Bates from consideration for any particular child placement based on her religious beliefs.Yet, the settlement does not prevent ODHS from “deciding a child’s placement based on its individualized consideration of the child’s needs and of a foster parent’s concerns or limitations (including where religiously motivated) on their ability or willingness to meet the child’s specific needs, including with regard to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”The Oregon attorney general’s office referred EWTN News to the Oregon Department of Human Services for comment. The department did not respond to a request for comment.
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Oregon officials back off ‘gender ideology mandate’ for mom seeking to adopt #Catholic Oregon officials have agreed they will not “categorically disqualify” a Christian woman from adopting or fostering children based on her religious beliefs about gender and human sexuality, which settles a three-and-a-half-year legal battle.The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) agreed to a legal settlement with Jessica Bates, who was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). It affirms the department will not consider her religious beliefs when evaluating her application for a certification to adopt children and will not attempt to regulate her speech about gender and sexuality.“Every child deserves a loving home, and children suffer when the government excludes people of faith from foster care because of the state’s own ideological crusade,” ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement following the Sept. 9 settlement.“Oregon officials turned Jessica away just because of her common-sense belief that parents should help children become comfortable with who they are instead of pushing them down a path of confusion and medicalization,” he said. “We believe this settlement is a win-win that protects constitutional rights and puts children’s interests first.”In September 2022, the ODHS denied Bates’ application because she would not comply with a state policy that requires applicants to agree they will “respect, accept and support the … sexual orientation, gender identity [and] gender expression … of a child or young adult” who is placed in the home, which ADF has characterized as a “gender ideology mandate.”Bates sued ODHS in March 2023, arguing that the policy violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion. The lawsuit stated she told the certification officer she would love any child as her own but would not facilitate a child’s gender transition through hormone therapy, use pronouns inconsistent with a child’s biological sex, or encourage gender expression inconsistent with the child’s biological sex or same-sex attraction.A federal district court initially ruled in favor of ODHS in December 2023, but an appellate panel of judges ruled in July 2025 that ODHS likely violated her constitutional rights and blocked the department from enforcing the rules against her while the lawsuit continued.Legal settlementPer the legal agreement, ODHS will allow Bates to apply for a certification and will not consider her religious views in any way.It states ODHS will not deny the application “because of her religious beliefs that sexual activity should occur only within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman, and a person should identify and seek to live consistent with his or her biological sex.”The settlement adds that this extends to her “desire to respectfully speak about, live out, parent, and make day-to-day caregiving decisions consistent with these sincerely held religious beliefs.”Under the agreement, ODHS also cannot require her to “agree to use prescribed words or language, including chosen pronouns, to express views about sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression inconsistent with her religious beliefs described above as a condition of certification.”“[The] ODHS may not enforce any per se standard, rule, or policy that precludes Bates from being considered for any particular placement, based in whole or in part based on her religious belief,” the settlement agreement states.It further prohibits ODHS from disqualifying Bates from consideration for any particular child placement based on her religious beliefs.Yet, the settlement does not prevent ODHS from “deciding a child’s placement based on its individualized consideration of the child’s needs and of a foster parent’s concerns or limitations (including where religiously motivated) on their ability or willingness to meet the child’s specific needs, including with regard to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”The Oregon attorney general’s office referred EWTN News to the Oregon Department of Human Services for comment. The department did not respond to a request for comment.

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The legal settlement ensures that Jessica Bates’ religious views will not be a factor in determining whether she can adopt children.

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Pope Leo: Take time out of the daily bustle to ‘listen to the melodious voice’ of creation #Catholic Pope Leo XIV invited people to take time out from the daily bustle of their lives to listen to “the melodious voice of creation,” through which God speaks, as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is observed on Sept. 1.TweetThe Holy Father noted that this day also marks the beginning of the “Season of Creation,” a five-week period dedicated “to prayer and commitment to caring for our ‘common home’” that extends until Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, coinciding with the 800th anniversary of his death.“On this day, therefore, and in the weeks ahead, let us set aside a few moments to pause from the frenzy of our daily lives in order to savor the profound harmony of which we ourselves are a part,” the pope encouraged during the Mass celebrated in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, 2026, in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. | Credit: Vatican Media “Let us place in ‘silent mode’ the many noises generated by human activity, so that we may hear the melodious voice of creation, through which God, the author of all things, speaks to us,” the pontiff encouraged.Referring to his message issued for this 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the pope highlighted that “this contemplative exercise” is a first step toward an “authentic ecological conversion, where the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us.”In his homily, the pope also highlighted that the readings for this Mass — Psalm 18, the passage from the Book of Wisdom (Wis 13:1–9), and the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 6:24–34) — recall the grandeur of creation and the “Creator of so many wonders,” such as air and fire. Pope Leo XIV prayers during the Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, 2026, in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. | Credit: Vatican Media He noted that they allow us to renew the idea that “if the Lord does not fail to bestow such splendid beauty upon plants and animals and provide for all their needs, how much more attentive will he be to the needs of his beloved sons and daughters!”The Holy Father also noted that “from contemplating creation and encountering its Creator, there arises an awareness of our particular place within God’s wondrous plan, and of the responsibility that we bear both personally and collectively for preserving the original harmony. Thus, as we become conscious of our shortcomings and failures, we can renew our commitment to restoring the relationships among all creatures according to the will of their Creator.”“It is not yet too late, and the Season of Creation calls us to a profound conversion,” he emphasized. Pope Leo XIV prays at the Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, 2026, in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. | Credit: Vatican Media After explaining that Pope Francis drew inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi in writing his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, which addresses the care of our common home, Leo XIV quoted the “Poverello of Assisi’s” praises to God for the moon, stars, wind, earth, fire, and water, among other elements.“With St. Francis, let us renew our commitment to living and promoting that universal fraternity which is inseparably bound to the task of caring for creation,” the pope encouraged.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo: Take time out of the daily bustle to ‘listen to the melodious voice’ of creation #Catholic Pope Leo XIV invited people to take time out from the daily bustle of their lives to listen to “the melodious voice of creation,” through which God speaks, as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is observed on Sept. 1.TweetThe Holy Father noted that this day also marks the beginning of the “Season of Creation,” a five-week period dedicated “to prayer and commitment to caring for our ‘common home’” that extends until Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, coinciding with the 800th anniversary of his death.“On this day, therefore, and in the weeks ahead, let us set aside a few moments to pause from the frenzy of our daily lives in order to savor the profound harmony of which we ourselves are a part,” the pope encouraged during the Mass celebrated in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, 2026, in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. | Credit: Vatican Media “Let us place in ‘silent mode’ the many noises generated by human activity, so that we may hear the melodious voice of creation, through which God, the author of all things, speaks to us,” the pontiff encouraged.Referring to his message issued for this 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the pope highlighted that “this contemplative exercise” is a first step toward an “authentic ecological conversion, where the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us.”In his homily, the pope also highlighted that the readings for this Mass — Psalm 18, the passage from the Book of Wisdom (Wis 13:1–9), and the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 6:24–34) — recall the grandeur of creation and the “Creator of so many wonders,” such as air and fire. Pope Leo XIV prayers during the Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, 2026, in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. | Credit: Vatican Media He noted that they allow us to renew the idea that “if the Lord does not fail to bestow such splendid beauty upon plants and animals and provide for all their needs, how much more attentive will he be to the needs of his beloved sons and daughters!”The Holy Father also noted that “from contemplating creation and encountering its Creator, there arises an awareness of our particular place within God’s wondrous plan, and of the responsibility that we bear both personally and collectively for preserving the original harmony. Thus, as we become conscious of our shortcomings and failures, we can renew our commitment to restoring the relationships among all creatures according to the will of their Creator.”“It is not yet too late, and the Season of Creation calls us to a profound conversion,” he emphasized. Pope Leo XIV prays at the Mass for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, 2026, in the Madonnina Garden of the Borgo Laudato Si’ within the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo. | Credit: Vatican Media After explaining that Pope Francis drew inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi in writing his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, which addresses the care of our common home, Leo XIV quoted the “Poverello of Assisi’s” praises to God for the moon, stars, wind, earth, fire, and water, among other elements.“With St. Francis, let us renew our commitment to living and promoting that universal fraternity which is inseparably bound to the task of caring for creation,” the pope encouraged.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The Holy Father encouraged silent contemplation of the wonders and harmony of the created world, which can lead to authentic ecological conversion and awareness of our responsibility for creation.

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First Steps: America’s Grueling Second Spacewalk – A year after America’s first spacewalk, Gemini IX-A Eugene Cernan stepped outside his spacecraft for an ambitious extravehicular activity scheduled for 167 minutes. The challenges he faced led NASA to reevaluate plans, equipment, and training for future spacewalks.
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First Steps: America’s Grueling Second Spacewalk – A year after America’s first spacewalk, Gemini IX-A Eugene Cernan stepped outside his spacecraft for an ambitious extravehicular activity scheduled for 167 minutes. The challenges he faced led NASA to reevaluate plans, equipment, and training for future spacewalks.

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A year after America’s first spacewalk, Gemini IX-A Eugene Cernan stepped outside his spacecraft for an ambitious extravehicular activity scheduled for 167 minutes. The challenges he faced led NASA to reevaluate plans, equipment, and training for future spacewalks.

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Chandra, Webb Catch Twinkling Lights – This stellar landscape is reminiscent of a winter vista in a view from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue). Chandra data (red, green and blue) punctuate the scene with bursts of colored lights representing high-energy activity from the active stars.
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Chandra, Webb Catch Twinkling Lights – This stellar landscape is reminiscent of a winter vista in a view from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue). Chandra data (red, green and blue) punctuate the scene with bursts of colored lights representing high-energy activity from the active stars.

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This stellar landscape is reminiscent of a winter vista in a view from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue). Chandra data (red, green and blue) punctuate the scene with bursts of colored lights representing high-energy activity from the active stars.

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NASA’s Pandora Small Satellite Launched – NASA’s Pandora small satellite, and NASA-sponsored Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), and Black Hole Coded Aperture Telescope (BlackCAT) CubeSat, are ready to be encapsulated inside a SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing in this early January 2026 photo. Pandora and the CubeSats launched Sunday, Jan. 11, from Vandenberg Space Force Base located on California’s central coast.
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NASA’s Pandora Small Satellite Launched – NASA’s Pandora small satellite, and NASA-sponsored Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), and Black Hole Coded Aperture Telescope (BlackCAT) CubeSat, are ready to be encapsulated inside a SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing in this early January 2026 photo. Pandora and the CubeSats launched Sunday, Jan. 11, from Vandenberg Space Force Base located on California’s central coast.

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NASA’s Pandora small satellite, and NASA-sponsored Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), and Black Hole Coded Aperture Telescope (BlackCAT) CubeSat, are ready to be encapsulated inside a SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing in this early January 2026 photo. Pandora and the CubeSats launched Sunday, Jan. 11, from Vandenberg Space Force Base located on California’s central coast.

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