In Wednesday’s RNS report Dennis O’Connor reports that the St. Louis Jesuits, a group that transformed Catholic music, is back on tour: The St. Louis Jesuits are back. And although they’ve been called a religious version of the Beatles, there’s a good chance most people haven’t heard of this liturgical musical ensemble. But anyone attending a Roman Catholic Mass since the mid-1970s has probably sung more than a few of their masterpieces, including “Earthen Vessels” and “Lift Up Your Hearts.” Susan Sarandon sang their memorable song “Be Not Afraid” just before Sean Penn’s character was to be executed in the movie “Dead Man Walking.” And their music was performed both at President Clinton’s inauguration and President Reagan’s funeral. Now, for the first time in nearly 20 years, the St. Louis Jesuits are back on stage for a limited tour. They also have produced their first recording since that era, a 12-song collaboration titled “Morning Light.”
Dru Sefton writes that mothers who give up custody of their children still face a stigma: Times change, but not much for women who let their children live with their fathers. Every Mother’s Day brings a churn of emotions for these nonresidential mothers, women who make the wrenching choice to give up their children-something society still generally shuns. “The bottom line is, people still look askance,” says one. The issue is complex, encompassing individual and societal views of motherhood and gender roles, as well as cultural norms and socioeconomics. As a researcher says, “There are layers of stigma involved.”
Kate Coscarelli writes about stem cells attracting new activists-lawyers: Since its beginnings, stem-cell research has attracted attention from doctors, politicians and religious activists. Now that the field is moving from theoretical musings to practical applications, you can add one more group: lawyers. From trial lawyers duking it out over attempts to establish stem-cell research institutes in California and Missouri to patent attorneys helping New Jersey scientists protect their discoveries, the legal world is increasingly seeking a piece of the action. With private industry and public funding dumping millions into stem-cell research, many are already speculating that the dividends for law firms could be huge.
