William Batz, who has a doctorate in philosophy and is the secretary for social concerns at the Diocese of Pittsburgh, recently answered questions from the Pittsburgh Catholic on the Obama administration's announcement that it would begin a process to rescind Health and Human Services

William Batz, who has a doctorate in philosophy and is the secretary for social concerns at the Diocese of Pittsburgh, recently answered questions from the Pittsburgh Catholic on stem cell research from a Catholic perspective.

Life is the gift of a loving God. We must never choose to directly cause or hasten death; the unwarranted destruction of human life is never morally permissible. This seminar will explain what the Catholic Church teaches about end of life care and how a Living Will and a Health Care P

What is a stem cell? A stem cell is essentially a “blank” [unspecialized] cell, capable of becoming another more differentiated cell type in the body, such as a skin cell, a muscle cell, or a nerve cell. Why are stem cells important? Stem cells can be used to replace or heal damaged t

Roderick and Wendi Oliveros know that waiting can be the most difficult part of the international adoption process. But they're also quick to point out that bringing a child home is more than worth the months of longing and anticipation.

Catholic Charities Adoption Services and Specialized Foster Care staff members need only look at the pictures on the walls and the photographs tacked to the bulletin boards at their Harrisburg office as a reminder of what their work is all about – placing children into the lovin

Members of the current Congress have signaled an interest in soon introducing legislation, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). That bill, if like S.B. 1173 and H.R. 1964 introduced during the 100th Congress, will establish the right to abortion as a “fundamental right” by el

Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, today called President Obama’s executive order on embryonic stem cell research “a sad victory of politics over science and ethics.” Under the order, f

The Winter 2009 edition of Viewpoint outlines PCC’s comprehensive list of legislative priorities. Issues cover a wide range of categories: Catholic Education, Religious Liberty,Life and the Dignity of the Human Person, Marriage and Family, Social Justice, Health Care, and more.

Most people understand at an elementary level how a bill becomes a law and how the judicial system governs our daily lives, but an often-ignored source of law are rules and regulations that stem from the executive authority of the president or a governor. While the Church is vigilant