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Meredith Somers

Meredith Somers

Meredith Somers is a Metro reporter for The Washington Times. She can be reached at msomers@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Meredith Somers

From left, Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, address reporters at a news conference during the conference's annual fall meeting in Baltimore Monday, Nov. 10, 2014. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark) **FILE**

New Catholic rules to affect health care services, mergers

The governing body of the U.S. Catholic Church this week began the process of reconciling doctrine with 21st-century medical directives, but some human rights advocates say those revisions could be a tough pill to swallow. Published November 12, 2014

Bishop William F. Murphy acknowledges the need for the Catholic Church to find common ground with modern health care in the name of providing care. (Associated Press)

Bishops OK directive revisions for Catholic health care providers

U.S. Catholic bishops on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved revising directives that eventually would make it easier for Catholic health care providers to work with secular providers while maintaining doctrinal positions on birth control, abortion, euthanasia and other health issues. Published November 11, 2014

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, ribbed the media on its coverage of the synod on family members last month at the Vatican, during Monday's Catholic bishops conference. (Associated Press)

U.S. bishops tweak synod coverage at conference

Just a month after their synod on family matters at the Vatican, American bishops on Monday ribbed the media on its coverage of the historic meeting, which ended with a watered-down version of a church welcome to Catholic gays and divorcees. Published November 10, 2014

Even as the Obama administration calls on nations to secure religious freedoms globally, advocates say the effort would get a boost with more action and leadership from the United States itself. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS

U.S. must do more for religious freedom, advocates say

Even as the Obama administration calls on nations to secure religious freedoms globally, advocates say the effort would get a boost with more action and leadership from the United States itself. Published October 29, 2014

The Rev. Frank Schaefer, who presided over his son's same-sex wedding ceremony, called a Methodist judicial council's decision to uphold his appeal for reinstatement "a small but significant step" toward equality for all within the United Methodist Church. (Associated Press)

Methodist panel upholds reinstatement of The Rev. Frank Schaefer

A Methodist judicial council on Monday upheld the decision in the case of a pastor who was defrocked for officiating his gay son's wedding but later reinstated, closing a 10-month dispute that highlighted the internal struggle of the church to balance doctrine and shifting social attitudes. Published October 27, 2014

A new poll shows America's Muslims are feeling increasingly distanced from Republicans. Over two-thirds of Muslims polled say they plan to vote in the November midterm elections, with half of those inclined to vote for Democrat candidates. Twenty-three percent remain unaffiliated or declined to indicate a party affiliation. (Associated Press)

Muslims increasingly moving away from GOP

Two-thirds of Muslim voters plan to visit the polls on Election Day, and more than half of them are Democratic Party supporters, according to a new survey. Published October 26, 2014