The Vatican has updated its administrative rules, marking a shift away from Latin as the primary official language. Article 50 of the new regulations allows for the use of other languages, a change from the previous requirement that documents be written in Latin “as a rule”. This reflects a broader trend of diminishing Latin’s importance within the Catholic Church, where masses have long been conducted in local languages. While papal doctrinal letters are still published in Latin, official communications are now often released in English, Italian, Spanish, and French, with Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, fluent in several languages including Latin.
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The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a lawsuit against President Trump and White House officials for discontinuing the use of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at public briefings. This action, alleging violation of disability discrimination laws, follows a similar lawsuit settled during the Biden administration, which mandated ASL interpretation. The NAD argues that the lack of interpreters prevents deaf Americans from accessing critical information regarding national and international issues. The lawsuit seeks an injunction requiring in-frame ASL interpretation at all relevant White House events.
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The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a federal lawsuit against the White House, alleging violations of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the First Amendment, and the Fifth Amendment due to the absence of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at press briefings and other public events. The suit contends that the lack of ASL interpretation, despite the availability of English captions, denies meaningful access to information for hundreds of thousands of ASL users. Two deaf men joined the NAD in the suit, citing difficulties understanding information vital to their lives due to limited English comprehension. The White House’s discontinuation of ASL interpretation, following a period of provision under the Biden administration, is the basis of the legal action.
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John Q. Hosedrinker