"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart" (Psalm 90: 12).

July 31, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 "Teach us to number our days aright,that we may gain wisdom of heart" (Psalm 90: 12).

Legal scholar Michelle Alexander has noted the following:

• "More than two million people found themselves behind bars at the turn of the twenty-first century, and millions more were relegated to the margins...where discrimination in employment, housing, and access to education were perfectly legal, and where they could be denied the right to vote....Ninety percent of those admitted to prison for drug offenses in many states were black or Latino, yet the mass incarceration of communities of color was explained in race-neutral terms" (p. 58).

• "A criminal record authorizes precisely the forms of discrimination we supposedly left behind-discrimination in employment, housing, education, public benefits, and jury service. Those labeled criminals can even be denied the right to vote" (p. 141).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urges support for the Sentencing Reform Act (HR3713), the Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act (HR759) and the Second Chance Reauthorization Act (HR3406).

• "Together these bills would reduce harsh sentences, incentivize prison rehabilitation, ban shackling of pregnant women in federal custody and expand opportunities for Americans returning home after incarceration.... Inaction will harm children, families and communities across the country. The burden of over-incarceration is felt most intensely by children with parents in prison. Despite their failings, these parents are loved and valued, and are critical to maintaining their children's well-being.  The long absence of mothers and fathers has a lasting impact."

Overall, the USCCB is urging "YES" to the Conscience Protection Act of 2016 (S304), the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (HR1299/S667), the First Amendment Defense Act (HR2802/S1598), the Russell Amendment, the Sentencing Reform Act (HR3713), the Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act (HR759) and the Second Chance Reauthorization Act (HR3406), while urging "NO" to "the Separation Wall in the Cremisan Valley."  How is the Pa Delegation responding?

Pa’s Delegation in D.C.	The 2016 Omnibus spending bill did NOT  include ANDA, but passed  the   House and  Senate.	As per the USCCB,  Support the Con-science Protec-tion Act  (S 304)	As per the USCCB, Support CWPIA (Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act; HR 1299/ S667)	“If passed, the [Maloney] amendments could infringe upon religious liberty of federal contractors, critics say” (CNA / EWTN News, 5/27/16).		As per the USCCB, Support FADA (First Amend-ment Defense Act; HR2802/ S1598)	As per the USCCB, support the Russell Amend-ment to the National Defense Authori-zation Act.
				See Final Vote Results for Roll Call 226	See Final Vote Results for Roll Call 258
1.    Bob Brady (D)	Voted Yea	Voted Nay		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
2.    Chaka Fattah (D)	Voted Yea	----------
3.    Mike Kelly (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea	Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
4.    Scott Perry (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea		Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
5.    Glenn Thompson (R)	Voted Yea	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
6.    Ryan Costello (R)	Voted Yea	Voted Yea		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
7.    Pat Meehan  (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
8.    Mike  Fitzpatrick (R)	Voted Yea	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Yea	Voted Yea
9.    Bill Shuster (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea		Voted Noe	Voted Noe
10.  Tom Marino  (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
11.  Lou Barletta  (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe
12.  Keith Rothfus (R)	Voted Noe	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
13.  Brendan Boyle (D)	Voted Yea	Voted Nay		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
14.  Michael Doyle (D)	Voted Yea	Voted Nay		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
15.  Charlie Dent  (R)	Voted Yea	Voted Yea		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
16.  Joseph Pitts   (R)	Voted Yea	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
17.  Matthew Cartwright (D)	Voted Yea	Voted Nay		Voted Yea	Voted Yea
18.  Tim Murphy  (R)	Voted Yea	Voted Yea	Co-Sponsor	Voted Noe	Voted Noe	Co- Sponsor
·     Bob Casey (D)	Voted Yea
·     Pat Toomey   (R)	Voted Noe

Pa’s Delegation in D.C.	As per the USCCB, support the Sentencing Reform Act (HR3713).	As per the USCCB, support the Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act (HR759).	As per the USCCB, support the Second Chance Reauthorization Act (HR3406).	As per the USCCB, Oppose “confi-scation of Christian lands in Cremisan Valley”
1)    Bob Brady (D)	Co-Sponsor		Co-Sponsor
2)    Chaka Fattah (D)			Co-Sponsor
3)    Mike Kelly (R)
4)    Scott Perry (R)
5)    Glenn Thompson (R)
6)    Ryan Costello (R)
7)    Pat Meehan  (R)
8)    Mike  Fitzpatrick (R)
9)    Bill Shuster (R)
10)  Tom Marino  (R)			Co-Sponsor
11)  Lou Barletta  (R)
12)  Keith Rothfus (R)
13)  Brendan Boyle (D)
14)  Michael Doyle (D)			Co-Sponsor
15)  Charlie Dent  (R)
16)  Joseph Pitts   (R)
17)  Matthew Cartwright (D)
18)  Tim Murphy  (R)
·     Bob Casey (D)
·     Pat Toomey   (R)

• Click to Email Pa's Congressional Delegation, asking for support of positions backed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

State Level

• YES to HB1623, HB1948/SB888; 
• NO to Planned Parenthood, SB 1350 (repealing Act 122 of 2011), repealing Act 13 of 2013, HB1336, HB1510/SB 974/SB 1306/SB1307/SB 1316, HB 1947, HB 162, and doctor prescribed suicide.):
• Click to Email the governor, as well as all of Bucks County's representatives and senators in Harrisburg, on pro life and pro marriage / family concerns.

In the News....

• The Meeting Point (Vatican, in advance of WYD)

• Catholic and Pro Abortion? (American Life League, 7/26/16) 

• Pa. Supreme Court lets stand ruling that priest's trial was tainted (EWTN, 7/28/16) 

• Friday Fax (C-Fam, 7/28/16) 

• The Gnosticism of Barack Obama (Crisis, 7/28/16) 

• Changing church documents in the age of same-sex marriage (Courier Times, 7/29/16) 

• Kaine: Recognizing Marriage as ‘Between a Man and a Woman’ Creates a ‘Hostile Place’ (cnsnews.com, 7/28/16)
  
  
  
• Pence: Trump and I will send Roe v. Wade “to the ash heap of history” (LiveActionNews, 7/29/16)

• Call to Prayer (USCCB, 7/29/16)

• "Sadly, our society is tainted by the culture of waste, which is the opposite of the culture of acceptance.  And the victims of the culture of waste are those who are weakest and most frail; and this is indeed cruel.  How beautiful it is instead to see that in this hospital the smallest and most needy are welcomed and cared for....Sometimes families feel alone in providing this care.  What can be done?  From this place, so full of concrete signs of love, I would like to say: Let us multiply the works of the culture of acceptance, works inspired by Christian love, love for Jesus crucified, for the flesh of Christ....I encourage all those who have made the Gospel call to 'visit the sick' a personal life decision: physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, chaplains and volunteers.  May the Lord help you to do your work well, here as in every other hospital in the world. May he reward you by giving you inner peace and a heart always capable of tenderness" (Pope Francis, 7/29/16).