Labor Rites. The U.S. Senate in April authorized the Department of the Interior to study whether sites associated with the life of César Chávez, founder of the United Farm Workers movement, should be eligible to become national historic landmarks.
Common Ground. Germany's Catholic bishops and Council of Evangelical Churches hosted in May a pro-life week focused on "therapeutic" cloning, pre-implantation and prenatal diagnosis, and active assisted death. "Advances in research and technology reinforce the discussion on questions of the ethics of science, of medicine, bioethics, and the protection of life," said Cardinal Karl Lehmann.
Cool Jewels. Congress passed the Clean Diamonds Trade Act in April, the culmination of a three-year effort by more than 150 human rights, humanitarian, and faith-based organizations to end the market for gems, mined in several African nations, that help fund human rights abuses.
Uzbek Unity. Thanks to their Muslim neighbors, Catholics in a remote area of Uzbekistan celebrated Easter at Our Lady of Charity, the first and only Christian church in the region. A Catholic woman obtained more than the 100 signatures needed under Uzbek law to establish a sacred building, including many from Muslims, who agreed that Christians should have a place of worship.
The Rights Stuff. Human rights advocate and former Fellowship of Reconciliation organizer Mike Jendrzejczyk, 53, died May 1 in Washington, D.C. Rep. Nancy Pelosi said there are "tens of thousands of ordinary people" whose lives were made better by Jendrzejczyk's work at the Asia division of Human Rights Watch.
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