- BBC Tells Schoolchildren There Are ‘over 100’ Genders (Thomas Williams, PhD, 9/13/19)
- "Mass attendance in parishes of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has been dropping for years.... a 52% decline in typical church attendance in 28 years....the data suggest two significant factors: the clergy sexual abuse crisis and the closure of Catholic churches through parish mergers" (CatholicPhilly.com, 9/5/19). There are less acknowledged (and not acknowledged) areas in which we have foregone credibility on our moral witness....
- ALLOWING THE BEAUTIFUL TRUTH OF GOD'S PLAN FOR MARRIAGE/FAMILY/SEXUALITY AND ITS INDISSOLUBILITY TO BECOME OBSCURED:
- "To love someone as Christ loves us means to love that person in the truth....The Catechism of the Catholic Church reflects this insistence on honesty, stating that the church’s message to the world must 'reveal in all clarity the joy and demands of the way of Christ'.... Father [James] Martin[, SJ] is correct to argue that there should not be any double standard with regard to the virtue of chastity.... For the unmarried—no matter their attractions—faithful chastity requires abstention from sex.... People who identify as members of the LGBT community are owed this truth in charity, especially from clergy who speak on behalf of the church about this complex and difficult topic" (Cardinal Robert Sarah, Wall Street Journal, 8/31/17)
- While this blogger is NOT a fan of Father James Martin, a de facto double standard indeed seems present in a Q/A with Father Kenneth Doyle, posted on CatholicPhilly.com on 8/7/17. In this "how to file the right paperwork" approach, Father Doyle fails to remind his questioner that neither she nor her "ex" husband are free to pursue "marriage" with other partners!
- "Church leaders, religious media personnel, and faithfully practicing older Catholics desperately need to go outside of the narrow circle of various Catholic media outlets to discover what tens of millions of Catholics, especially young adults, are really thinking about annulments" (Steve Wood, August 2014).
- Q and A with a Church tribunal judge (Leila Miller, 9/9/19)
- Pope Francis has streamlined the annulment process. It is interesting to note that Pope Francis' annual addresses to the Roman Rota (i.e., the "Supreme Court," if you will, of Marriage Tribunals) seem to have differed in focus - at least somewhat - from his predecessors.
- In the annual addresses of Saint Pope John Paul II to the Roman Rota (17 Feb 1979; 4 Feb 1980; 24 Jan 1981; 28 Jan 1982; 26 Feb 1983; 26 Jan 1984; 30 Jan 1986; 5 Feb 1987; 25 Jan 1988; 26 Jan 1989; 18 Jan 1990; 28 Jan 1991; 23 Jan 1992; 29 Jan 1993; 28 Jan 1994; 10 Feb 1995; 22 Jan 1996; 27 Jan 1997; 17 Jan 1998; 21 Jan 1999; 21 Jan 2000; 1 Feb 2001; 28 Jan 2002; 30 Jan 2003; 29 Jan 2004; 29 Jan 2005), there appeared to be growing concern about possible misuse of marriage tribunals. This seemed to culminate in the Vatican's Dignitas Connubii of 2005.
- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's addresses to the Roman Rota seemed to echo JP II's concerns.
- ALLOWING CERTAIN HOSPITALS TO CALL THEMSELVES, "CATHOLIC" (cf, The Updated Charter for Health Care Workers and Catholic hospitals in the Diocese of Trenton and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (9/6/19))
- ALLOWING CERTAIN COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES TO CALL THEMSELVES, "CATHOLIC."
(Saint Peter's near the WTC, 9/11/19)
National Concerns
- As per an 8/20/19 email from the Family Policy Alliance: "President Trump’s Department of Labor has proposed a new federal rule that would protect an important aspect of religious freedom.... While simply indicating your support of the proposed rule is just fine, you may wish to add additional comments...making your voice heard [Click here.] in support of religious freedom!"
- Submit Your Official Comment to Say: Pro-Life Health Workers Must Not Be Forced to Assist With Abortions (Susan B Anthony List)
- Oppose the Misleadingly named Do No Harm Act (cf, American Life League)
- Oppose the Misnamed Equality Act (Human Life Action)
- Support the Heartbeat Bill, HR 3985 (cf, LifeSite)
- Support the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (cf, USCCB)
- Born-Alive Legislation Deserves a Vote in the People's House (USCCB)
- Contact your U.S. senators and representatives today and ask them to support the LIFT for Charities Act! (USCCB)
- Support the Equal Campus Access Act, HR3243/S1168 (USCCB)
Commonwealth of Pa
(Pa Catholic Conference Legislative Review and Voter Voice)
- Please Urge Your Senator and Representative to Co-Sponsor the "Heartbeat" Anti-Abortion Bill (Pa Catholic Conference)
- Please contact your Rep, Senator, and the Governor to ask for a religious exemption for Catholic adoptions (Pa Catholic Conference) (See also the Pa Family Council link.)
- Call for Funding Increase for Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) (Pa Catholic Conference)
- Ask Your Representative to Co-Sponsor Speaker Turzai's Bill to Help Harrisburg Public School Student (Pa Catholic Conference)
The Garden State
- Support the NJ Born Alive Survivors Protection Act A5287/S3905 (NJRTL)
- Vote No on S4103/ A5802 (NJRTL)
- Oppose NJ S3804/A5508 and S3813/A5510 (NJ Catholic Conference)
- Support the NJ Pain Capable Unborn child Protection Act, A 1686/S537 (http://protectviablebabies.com/take-action/)
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