"thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, 'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people'"

"In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.  Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, 'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people'" (from today's first reading).

To aid us in applying the commandments to our modern world, the Pa Catholic Conference offers "alerts" and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers "ALERTS CENTRAL."  The USCCB also notes that "Action alerts for pro-life issues can also be found through our partner organization, the "National Committee for the Human Life Amendment" (NCHLA), and that "Action alerts for issues related to immigration reform can be found through the USCCB-led Catholic coalition, "Justice for Immigrants."  

"One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord" (from today's Responsorial Psalm). 

•  As per the Family Research Council, "Voters must demand that at a minimum the House Republican leadership attach a funding moratorium to must-pass legislation in order to build momentum for the Senate to halt the federal complicity in this organization’s inhumane practices.  Please urge Congress to take whatever steps necessary in September to defund this abortion giant. We should not be spending our tax dollars to fund this organization engaged in late-term abortion, organ harvesting and possibly illegal partial birth and born alive abortion."  Email Representative Fitzpatrick, Senator Casey, and Senator Toomey, asking if they will commit to such a moratorium.  

• As per the Pennsylvania Family Institute, "the Administration, following what can only be described as a cursory review of Planned Parenthood abortion sites in Pennsylvania, stated that the organization’s hands are clean in the burgeoning nationwide scandal involving the gruesome procurement and trafficking in the remains of unborn children aborted in Planned Parenthood clinics....the taxpayers of Pennsylvania can have no confidence that Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration can or did conduct a fair and thorough probe, given his close ties with Planned Parenthood before, during and after his campaign for Pennsylvania Governor."  Email Bucks County's representatives and senators in Harrisburg, asking for a moratorium on all state funding of Planned Parenthood.

"Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (from today's second reading).

Marriage/Family still holds the absolute greatest protection for "orphans and widows"!  As per the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The First Amendment Defense Act (H.R. 2802, S. 1598) would bar the federal government from discriminating against individuals and organizations based upon their religious beliefs or moral convictions that marriage is the union of one man and one woman or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage. The Act provides broad protections against adverse federal actions directed toward individuals and organizations that act on such beliefs."  As of this past Thursday, Representative Fitzpatrick was NOT among the 145 co-sponsors of HR2802; NEITHER Senator Casey NOR Senator Toomey were among the 36 co-sponsors of S1598.  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has an alert for contacts to Fitzpatrick, Casey, and Toomey, re: the First Amendment Defense Act (HR2802 / S1598): http://cqrcengage.com/catholicbishops/app/make-a-call?0&engagementId=113753

“From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.  All these evils come from within and they defile” (from today's Gospel).

•  "If We're Serious About Defunding PP, Here's How We Can Do It"
•  "A Simple Way to Know If There's A Grave Evil in Your Midst"