WASHINGTON (CNS) -- If the House of Representatives passes the Equality Act, its mandates will "discriminate against people of faith" by adversely affecting charities and their beneficiaries, conscience rights, women's sports, "and sex-specific facilities," said the chairmen of five U.S. bishops' committees.

ARLINGTON, Va. (CNS) -- The Virginia General Assembly passed a final version of a bill that will abolish the death penalty in the state Feb. 22. The Senate voted 22-16 to pass the death penalty abolition bill and the House of Delegates voted 57-43 to approve the identical bill, according to the advocacy group Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. There is expected to be a public signing ceremony with Gov. Ralph Northam in April.

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- During a Feb. 22 evening program on CNN, Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory offered a prayer for those who have died from COVID-19 asking God to "grant enteral peace to all our sisters and brothers lost to this disease."