news Archives

Justice Antonin Scalia’s Other Legacy

Funeral plans for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia were announced earlier this morning. The body of the first Italian-American to serve on the bench will lie in repose in the Great Hall of the high court this coming Friday.

His funeral, which will be open to the public, will take place on Saturday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

It’s impossible to overstate the effect Justice Scalia had on the Supreme Court during his nearly 30-year tenure.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, news February 17, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Jim Daly Mourns the Loss of Justice Antonin Scalia

Today’s news of the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia comes as a blow to all Americans who believe in the rule of law and his adherence to an originalist’s view of the Constitution.

The court’s longest serving member was one of the greatest jurists of our age. He was a terrific thinker with a fluid pen. Most importantly, he was a devout believer in Jesus Christ. Many of the nation’s most impressive attorneys stood before him.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, news February 13, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

She Died and Lived to Tell About It

Give her an opportunity, and Pamela Christian will gladly tell you about the day she died.

It all began during an afternoon of tennis with some girlfriends. She had been battling stomach problems all morning, a problem she dismissed as indigestion. But after just a few practice swings she realized she was feeling short of breath and light headed as well, too much for the amount of exertion her warmup should have required of her.

In only a matter of minutes, she knew she was in trouble.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, news February 10, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why the Houston Grand Jury Indicted the Wrong Man

By now you’ve likely heard that David Daleiden, the pro-life investigator and founder of the Center for Medical Progress who last summer published a series of undercover videos exposing the morbid business of Planned Parenthood, has been indicted by a grand jury in Houston.

Let that sink in for a moment. Planned Parenthood was exonerated, and the person who brought to light their scandalous and potentially illegal activity has now been charged with a crime.

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As the nation pauses today to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I’d like to share something very special with you.

Several years ago, the earliest recorded sermon of Dr. King was discovered. At the time he delivered it, February 28, 1954, he was still a seminary student. The site was the Second Baptist Church of Detroit. He titled it “Rediscovering Lost Values.”

It is a work of timeless oratorical genius.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, news January 18, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My Thoughts on the Presidential Election

Many people have asked me who I endorse in the contest for President of the United States. I can understand the curiosity behind the question, but it’s way too early in the process to be able to tell who will be the best pro-family candidate out of all of the ones who are running.

In fact, the substance and spirit of Tuesday night’s Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas made clear to me that for those of us who support a pro-family agenda in 2016, the strength of the field dictates that it’s premature to coalesce behind a single candidate (as some Evangelical leaders have recently done).

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, news, policy December 17, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Would You Be Willing to Send This Young Girl a Card?

By now you’ve likely heard of the horrific and heartbreaking story involving Safyre Terry, an 8-year-old girl who lost her father and three siblings in a house fire back in 2013.

The fire, deemed arson, is still under investigation. The New York girl suffered burns on over 75% of her body and eventually lost her right hand and left foot. She now lives with her aunt.

Recently, Safyre expressed one wish this Christmas season:

She’d love to receive Christmas cards.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, kids, news December 10, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why a Rock Star’s Death Reminds Us of Children Who Suffer in Silence

Although the music of the Stone Temple Pilots isn’t on my iPod, the death last week of its lead singer, Scott Weiland, caught my attention. The 48 year-old was found dead on his tour bus in Minnesota of a suspected drug overdose.

Sadly, the ascent and ultimate demise of Scott Weiland strikes an all too familiar ring. From Elvis Presley to Whitney Houston, drug abuse and celebrity excesses often lead to dark places. Of course, the rest of us aren’t immune to the scourge of modern-day vices either.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, kids, news, parenting, pop culture December 9, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

To Honor Officer Swasey & Other Victims of Violence, We Must Pursue a Culture of Life

Our hearts have been heavy this past week with the tragic news of shootings in both California and Colorado. As I write, details of the rampage in San Bernardino are still coming in. We’ll be processing and evaluating the news in the coming days.

Garrett Swasey, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs police officer who was murdered last week outside a local Planned Parenthood clinic, will be memorialized on Friday afternoon, just up the road from our ministry’s headquarters.

Topics: Current Events Tags: church, faith, news, pro-life December 3, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Response to Tragedy at Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood Facility

Focus on the Family president Jim Daly issued the following statement today in response to the shooting at the Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“Today’s violence at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood facility, just miles from our ministry headquarters, is tragic and deplorable. It is to be condemned.

“Our hearts break for the families of the three individuals killed, a University of Colorado police officer and two civilians. As a community, we share in their sorrow and in their grief.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news November 27, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura