Lift High the Cross

 

 

While we have an example of absolute obedience from Our Lord Himself, many Catholics largely forego the guidance of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urging us to advocate for support/sponsorship of the

• No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (HR 7 / S 946) and
• Health Care Conscience Rights Act (HR 940 / S 1204;
  the Pa Catholic Conference also facilitates action on the Health Care Conscience Rights Act .),

As per the USCCB, "Action alerts for pro-life issues can also be found through our partner organization, the National Committee for the Human Life Amendment":

• OPPOSE the so-called Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act (HR 5051/S2578)

The USCCB urges us to advocate for support/sponsorship of the

• Marriage Protection Amendment (HJ Res 51),
• Marriage and Religious Freedom Act (HR 3133 / S 1808), 
• State Marriage Defense Act (HR 3829 / S 2024),  
• Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2014 (HR 5285 / S 2706),

The USCCB is

• OPPOSED to the misleadingly named Employment Non-Discrimination Act (S 815/ HR 1755, HRES 639, HRES 678).  

 The USCCB urges us to advocate for support/sponsorship of the

• Second Chance Act (HR 3465/S 1690), and the
• U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act (HR 4653)

As per the USCCB, "Action alerts for issues related to immigration reform can be found through the USCCB-led Catholic coalition, Justice for Immigrants."

• SUPPORT "just and compassionate immigration reform"  (The Pa Catholic Conference also facilitates support for immigration reform; No specific legislation is cited.)

With regard to state-level issues in Harrisburg, the Pa Catholic Conference OPPOSES

• HB 162 (NOTE: While ostensibly about giving adoptees full access to info about their birth parents, this blogger has noticed that HB 162 says NOTHING about access to info, when one biological parent was a so-called "egg donor" or a so-called "sperm donor."  Privacy rights of biological parents who chose life could be overridden, while those playing God continue to have absolute protection!),
• the death penalty, and
• HB300/SB300 (The Pa Catholic Conference describes this legislation as "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith." Governor Corbett (a Catholic) supports this legislation (cf., Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/19/13).  Scandalously, both HB 300 and SB 300 count Catholics among their co-sponsors!).

The Pa Catholic Conference SUPPORTS 

• Marriage (This forms a message of encouragement to Theresa Gaffney, Clerk of the Orphan's Court of Schuylkill County, who is trying to defend marriage in Pa.  It would seem that sponsors of HB 1349. also merit our encouragement.) and
• equal education funding. 

Though our elected officials consist of known Catholics, other Christians, and others from a Judeo-Christian background, minimal attention appears to be getting paid to the positions advocated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference:

(Click the image for an enlarged and interactive version.)

 

With this past week's sad anniversary, there is understandable concern about security.  Yet Steven D. Greydanus of the National Catholic Register has reminded us of the destruction to our culture wrought by attacks on the sanctity of human life and the sanctity of marriage/family, 

"we want to redeem and transform the culture, but this goal starts with valuing and nurturing a distinctive Catholic and Christian presence within the larger culture....

"Better catechesis and formation, and a more courageous defense of Church teaching, are not merely moralistic agenda items: Same-sex 'marriage' is a legal weapon pointed right at the role and mission of the Church in society.

"Poor catechesis and formation has directly contributed to the social challenges now faced by the Church to her freedom to operate adoption agencies, hospitals and schools in a manner consistent with her moral teaching.

"Pastors cannot afford the sort of 'pastoral sensitivity' (or timidity, or whatever it is) that avoids difficult topics. If we continue to lose ground in the broader cultural discussion, in the end Caesar will be calling all the shots....

"Catholic families should live their vocation joyfully and support other families. We can help save the world by loving our spouses and our children. Research has indicated that divorce is contagious. The reverse can also be true: Happy marriages and families can be a beacon of hope and inspiration to others....Generosity in having large families can also be contagious....

"society has a proper interest in regulating sexual relations between men and women, founded in human reproduction and the needs of children....

"Instead of subsidizing marriage as it ought to, the state currently penalizes marriage in various ways, both via taxes and via support offered to cohabitating couples but not to married couples. This should be changed.

"Divorce laws should be reformed. Public campaigns have had some success in changing cultural attitudes regarding, for example, smoking and drunk driving. Similar campaigns could be helpful in promoting marriage and discouraging divorce."

Our strength is not in armaments but in from the Lord, Who made Heaven and Earth!