Good news for families from the highest court in the land!

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a trio of 6-3 decisions with pro-family outcomes.

First, the court upheld a Tennessee law prohibiting certain “gender transition” procedures for minors, holding that that the law was not subject to heightened scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The USCCB submitted an amicus brief last year in the case, United States v. Skrmetti.

Second, the court ruled in favor of Maryland parents who chose to opt their children out of "LGBT" storytime, holding that the public school district's refusal to allow the opt-out likely burdened the parents' free exercise of religion. The USCCB also submitted an amicus brief last year in the case, Mahmoud v. Taylor. The decision was welcomed by Bishop Kevin Rhoades, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Religious Liberty.

Third, the court upheld a Texas law requiring pornographic websites to verify that its users are not minors, holding that the law did not violate the Free Speech Clause of the 1st Amendment. The USCCB also submitted an amicus brief last year in the case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. Age verification requirements like the Texas law were featured as a recommendation in the new edition of the USCCB's pastoral response to pornography, Create in Me a Pure Heart.

Bishop Robert Barron reflected on the recent decisions in an editorial published Monday by Our Sunday Visitor.

Print materials are available in our online store!

Print resources on gender discordance, chastity, and human sexuality are available now in our new online shop! Want to share the truth about the call to love in your parish, school, or family? These materials can help!

We'll gradually be adding more resources to the shop (lovemeansmore.org/shop) over time, so let us know which of our topics we should add next. People have also been asking us where they can buy our Love Means More mugs and travel tumblers. Those are now available in the shop as well!

 Create in Me a Pure Heart has been published!

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the USCCB's pastoral statement on the scourge of pornography, which is being published anew this year under the title Create in Me a Pure Heart. The USCCB website contains the online PDF version, and Ascension Press has now published the print version!

The tenth anniversary edition contains a new preface with practical recommendations to help pastors, lay leaders, families, educators, and civil leaders protect against pornography's many dangers.

Legal/Policy Updates

Congress - Bishop Thomas and Bishop Barron applauded the move to defund the abortion and “gender transition” industries in light of committee markups of the U.S. House of Representatives’ budget reconciliation bill in May.

Several USCCB bishop chairmen wrote to Congress on important provisions in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” underscoring the fundamental priority of protecting human life and dignity. Among other things, the bishops strongly urged Congress to end the taxpayer subsidization of major abortion and “gender transition” providers like Planned Parenthood.