Cardinal Rigali Urges Congress To Respect Conscience Rights
WASHINGTON Responding to objections to anticipated federal HHS regulations protecting health care providers fundamental rights of conscience, Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, today wrote to all members of Congress defending efforts to reaffirm and implement laws on conscience protection.
The New York Times on July 15 reported that it had obtained an alleged draft of regulations soon to be issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, to clarify and enforce federal laws on respect for the moral and religious convictions of health care personnel in programs receiving federal funds. Pro-abortion organizations and some members of Congress have already attacked the as-yet-unpublished regulations, saying they are unwarranted and could limit access to abortion and birth control.
more
Pope Tells Young People Power of Holy Spirit Can Transform the World as He Closes World Youth Day 2008
SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- With prayer and openness, young people can receive the power of the Holy Spirit and transform the world, Pope Benedict XVI told participants at World Youth Day.
"Do not be afraid to say 'yes' to Jesus, to find your joy in doing his will, giving yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness," the pope told them July 20 as he celebrated the Mass closing the six-day youth gathering.
Some 350,000 people attended the morning Mass at Royal Randwick Racecourse and, police said, more than half of them had braved the cold and spent the night camping out at the track. World Youth Day officials put Mass attendance at 400,000.
more
Comprehensive Immigration Reform To Be A Major Topic At National Migration Conference
WASHINGTON Comprehensive immigration reform will be a major topic at the 2008 National Migration Conference, "Renewing Hope, Seeking Justice," to be held July 28-31 at the Hilton Washington Hotel.
"The issue of immigration is one of the most controversial domestic concerns facing our country," said Kevin Appleby, director of Migration and Refugee Policy at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. "The Holy Father spoke about the human side of the issue several times during his April visit. The conference will examine the issue in-depth and hopefully provide conference participants more insight into it and how the Church can make a positive contribution to the national debate."
more
U.S. Bishops Agree With Pew Study Finding That Faith Is Important To Americans, Stress Importance Of Ongoing Religious Education
WASHINGTON The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reacted to the findings of a report on religious beliefs and practices by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life made public today.
The study, which is based on a survey of more than 35,000 American adults, estimates that nearly 92 percent of American adults say they believe in God or a universal spirit. The findings also point to the fact that Americans take religion seriously, that faith is a very important part of their lives and that many of them attend religious services regularly and pray daily.
more
Bishops Of G8 Nations Urge Their Leaders To Address Global Poverty And Climate Change At July G8 Summit
WASHINGTON In a letter to leaders participating in the G8 Summit in Japan on July 7-9, the presidents of all the Catholic bishops conferences of the G8 nations urged Summit leaders to deepen your commitments and actions to reduce global poverty and address global climate change. The bishops wrote: Our religious and moral commitment to protect human life and promote human dignity moves us to be particularly concerned for the poorest and most vulnerable members of the human family, especially those in developing countries. The G8 leaders include President Bush and the heads of state of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom. Cardinal Francis George, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, signed the letter.
more
— U.S. Bishops' Statement "On Embryonic Stem Cell Research"
— more at the spring meeting
Roundup: Bishops' Spring Meeting
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., displays a DVD on stem-cell research during the U.S. bishops' spring meeting in Orlando, Fla.
(CNS photo/Andrew Sullivan)
ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- A lively and intense debate over a 700-page translation of part of the Roman Missal dominated the public sessions of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' spring general assembly in Orlando June 12-14, but the bishops failed to come to a conclusion about the fate of the liturgical text.
With much less discussion, they approved a 2,000-word policy statement calling embryonic stem-cell research "gravely immoral"; directed their Committee on Doctrine to begin revising guidelines for Catholic health care institutions on medically assisted nutrition and hydration; designated Sept. 26, 2010, as National Catholic Charities Sunday; and voted to replace the more formal "vosotros" with the more familiar "ustedes" in Spanish-language Masses in the U.S.
more
USCCB Mission Statement
The mission of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is to support the ministry of bishops with an emphasis on evangelization, by which the bishops exercise in a communal and collegial manner certain pastoral functions entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus of sanctifying, teaching, and governing.
This mission calls the Conference to
- Act collaboratively and consistently on vital issues confronting the Church and society
- Foster communion with the Church in other nations, within the Church universal, under the leadership of its supreme pastor, the Roman Pontiff
- Offer appropriate assistance to each bishop in fulfilling his particular ministry in the local Church