Marriage: Unique for a Reason (USCCB, September 2018 newsletter)

September 2018 Continuing the U.S. Bishops' work of promoting and defending marriage. Visit our Website Unprecedented Times The Church is going through a time of intense challenge these days. The USCCB has put out a number of statements in the last few months, so in case you have not seen them, here they are in one place: President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Offers Statement on Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Announcement (June 20) Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick from College of Cardinals (July 28) President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Statement on Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Resignation from College of Cardinals (July 28) President of U.S. Bishops Conference Issues Statement on Course of Action Responding to Moral Failures on Part of Church Leaders (Aug 1) President of U.S. Bishops' Conference and Committee Chairman Response to Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report (Aug 14) President of U.S. Bishops' Conference Announces Effort That Will Involve Laity, Experts, and the Vatican as U.S. Bishops Resolve to Address "Moral Catastrophe" (Aug 16) President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Response to Pope Francis’s Letter to the People of God (Aug 22) President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Renews Commitment for Greater Effectiveness and Transparency in Disciplining Bishops (Aug 27) Statement from the National Review Board Calls for Lay Leadership Amid Sexual Abuse Crisis (Aug 28) Inclusion Act: We need your help! The Inclusion Act Amendment was approved 29-23 by the House Appropriations Committee on July 11, 2018. We are asking the faithful to contact their representatives to support the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act. (CNS/ Bob Roller) This amendment would ensure that faith-based adoption and/or foster care agencies will not be discriminated against based on their conviction that children ought to be placed in homes with a married mother and a father.You can send an email, make a phone call, and even write a letter to the editor of your local news source. The Chairmen of the USCCB's Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Religious Liberty, and the Promotion and Defense of Marriage urged legislation on this issue in a letter with ecumenical and interfaith partners, then issued a joint statement on the passage of state bills. Made for Love Podcast In August, "Made for Love" featured the stories of Catholic married couples who were from different cultures. Episode 19: Cultural Differences in Marriage In September, there will be an episode about families of persons with Down Syndrome, and it will include Randall Wright, the producer of the documentary Summer in the Forest! If you listen through iTunes (USCCB Clips), it would help a lot if you would leave a review! And we are on Soundcloud and podbean Call to Prayer August 3 - September 28 Join the Call to Prayer from August 3- September 28 in praying for the legal protection of human life. This novena is meant to correspond with the hearings for the Supreme Court appointment. Pray with us! 50th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae We continue to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Encyclical Humanae Vitae (On Human Life) in 2018 The USCCB has published a 50th Anniversary edition of the encyclical by soon-to-be-Saint Pope Paul VI. And the Natural Family Planning Office has a website dedicated to the anniversary and the various celebrations and conferences surrounding it. Click here for a two-part podcast on the anniversary as well. In addition, bishops in the U.S. are preaching on the anniversary and/or sharing little snippets about them at our #HV50 YouTube page. FAQ Series The MUR blog did a series taking on five of the most frequently-asked-questions about marriage in 2016. If you haven't seen it, check it out! Legal Updates Colorado Jack Phillips, the Christian baker who won the right in the U.S. Supreme Court this past June to not create cakes contrary to his beliefs on marriage, has been targeted by the State of Colorado again – this time for declining to create a cake celebrating a gender transition. On August 14, 2018, he took Colorado back to court to vindicate his rights. U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals The U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals continue to load the Supreme Court’s docket with potential cases to redefine “sex” in various anti-discrimination laws. On August 27, 2018, the 7th Circuit ruled that “sex” in the Fair Housing Act includes “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” Three days prior, 16 states had filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on August 24, opposing the 6th Circuit’s redefining “sex” in federal employment law. New York Another Catholic adoption and foster care agency has been forced to close its doors, this time in Buffalo, New York, for not deferring to State regulations requiring them to work with same-sex couples. After 95 years of service, the Catholic Charities announced the closure on August 23, 2018.  Good news! Army chaplain, Major Scott Squires, was threatened with but ultimately freed from “dereliction of duty” charges for rescheduling a “Strong Bonds” marriage retreat so that another chaplain could lead it once a same-sex couple had signed up.