Scientists: Jesus' tomb faces major risk of collapse (EWTN, 3/31/17)

http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/World.php?id=15308

Support SB 554 (Pa Catholic Conf)

https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/PACC/Campaigns/51260/Respond

Letter for World Meeting of Families in Dublin 2018 (Pope Francis, 3/25/17)

https://zenit.org/articles/popes-letter-for-world-meeting-of-families-in-dublin/

“….Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16: 7)

3/26/17, 4th Sunday of Lent

• "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (3/25/17)

• House Pulls Bill to Defund Planned Parenthood After Conservatives Say Obamacare Not Repealed Enough (LifeNews, 3/24/17)

• Christ’s restored tomb inaugurated in Jerusalem (CWN, 3/24/17) - photos added

• Good Friday collection supports Church in the Holy Land (CatholicHerald.co.uk, 3/22/17)

Actions Needed

• Click here to review the federal positions backed by our bishops.  On the right side of the home page is a link to send a combined email to the offices of Pa's congressional delegation, regarding those positions.

• Tell Bob Casey not to block the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court --corrected number (Pa Pro Life Federation, 3/17/17)

• Click here to review state positions backed by the Pa Catholic Conference, the Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania and/or the Pa Pro Life Federation.  On the right side of the home page is a link to send a combined email to Bucks County's representatives and senators in Harrisburg.
• With regard to the dismemberment abortion ban [cf, Pa Catholic Conference, Pa Pro Life Federation], the Pro Life Coalition of Pa tells us that "Some progress has occurred in our attempts to persuade the Pa. House of Representatives leaders to pass S.B.3 rather than their own bill, H.B.77.  Please urge Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai and Majority Leader Dave Reed to run S.B.3 as soon as possible.  Their contact information is
  Speaker Mike Turzai mturzai@pahousegop.com 717-772-9943
  
  Majority Leader Dave Reed dreed@pahousegop.com 717-705-7173"

• Act now to stop assisted suicide (Diocese of Trenton, 11/4/16)

• Boycott Target and boycotts/actions from America Needs Fatima and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Medical Ethics and Our Need to be Authentic Witnesses to the Sanctity of Human Life

• On the right side of the home page is a link to email USCCB President Cardinal DiNardo, USCCB Pro Life Chair Cardinal Dolan, USCCB Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth Chair Archbishop Chaput, and National Catholic Bioethics Center President John Haas, PhD, STL.

Marriage/Family/Sexuality

• Surrogacy is Linked to Serious Worldwide Sex Trafficking Problems (LifeNews.com, 3/22/17)
  
• "The confessor does not do his own will and he does not teach his own doctrine. He is called to do always and only the will of God, in full communion with the Church, of which he is minister, that is, servant....the Confessional is place of evangelization and, therefore, of formation....To hear confessions is a pastoral priority. Please, let there not be those notices: 'Confessions are heard only on Mondays and Wednesdays from this hour to that hour.' You hear confessions every time they are requested. And if you are there [in the Confessional] praying, keep the Confessional open, which is God’s open heart" (Pope Francis, 3/17/17) 

• Trafficking Survivors Tell UN: Strengthen Families To Protect Women and Girls (C-Fam, 3/17/17)

• Freedom from Sexploitation Agenda (NCOSE, 3/17/17)

• Marriage Unique for a Reason (USCCB, 3/3/17) 

• NaPro-TECHNOLOGY, New Hope in Infertility

Social Teaching

• "I thank you for your presence here tonight, on the eve of the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaties instituting the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community....As Saint John Paul II affirmed: 'Today too, the soul of Europe remains united, because, in addition to its common origins, those same Christian and human values are still alive. Respect for the dignity of the human person, a profound sense of justice, freedom, industriousness, the spirit of initiative, love of family, respect for life, tolerance, the desire for cooperation and peace: all these are its distinctive marks'.[13]....Ours is a time of discernment, one that invites us to determine what is essential and to build on it. It is a time of challenge and opportunity" (Pope Francis, 3/24/17).

•  The Long Lent of Iraq’s Christians (National Catholic Register, 3/24/17)

• Pope Francis says migrant crisis is ‘biggest tragedy’ since Second World War (CatholicHerald.co.uk, 3/23/17) 

• "I also offer a special welcome to the participants in the 'Watershed' Conference on replenishing water values for a thirsty world', co-hosted by the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Argentinian Chapter of the Club of Rome. Today is World Water Day, instituted twenty-five years ago by the United Nations, while yesterday was the International Day of Forests. I am happy that this meeting is taking place, for it represents yet another stage in the joint commitment of various institutions to raising consciousness about the need to protect water as a treasure belonging to everyone, mindful too of its cultural and religious significance. I especially encourage your efforts in the area of education, through programmes directed to children and young people. Thank you for all that you do and may God bless you!" (Pope Francis, 3/22/17)

• Don't lose your humanity in refugee debate, US bishops say (CNA/EWTN, 3/22/17)

• The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (3/20/17 photos)

• "The United States mustn’t cut foreign aid while conflicts, famines, and a worldwide refugee crisis rage, Catholic leaders are insisting" (EWTN News / CNA, 3/19/17)

• On our duty to welcome the stranger (Archbishop Chaput, 3/17/17)
  
• More organizations appeal to Trump – ‘Religious liberty is in crisis’ (LifeSite, 3/15/17) 

• "The Report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as other sources, depict all too well the disastrous situation that  continues to unfold after more than six  years of violence: hundreds of thousands of victims and wounded; family-life disrupted; infrastructure, houses, schools, hospitals, and places of worship wrecked; entire cities ravaged; malnutrition and inadequate medical care. This is the grim reality that the Syrian people face every day....my delegation wishes to emphasize that the dignity inherent in every human person must take every precedence over power and revenge.  The unjust suffering of the innocent victims of this senseless slaughter should motivate all involved parties to engage in a serious dialogue and to work towards a future of peace and justice" (Holy See to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on Syria, 3/14/17).  

State Issues (3/25/17 update)

As per the Pa Catholic Conference,

• End Brutal Dismemberment Abortions
• Oppose Unfair Retroactive Statutes of Limitation Amendments
• Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Religious Liberty
• Invest in Success: Expand EITC and OSTC Scholarships

In addition, as per the Pa Pro Life Federation,

• Let your state Senator know you don't want your right to vote for judges to be taken away (2/16/17)
• Oppose HB 111 (3/6/17) 
• "House Bill 643, sponsored by state Rep. Matthew Baker (R-Bradford, Potter, Tioga Counties), would ensure that there are no time limits for prosecuting infanticide. The measure would also expand the window of opportunity for prosecuting illegal late-term abortions to five years after the alleged crimes occurred.  The legislation stems from recommendations made by the grand jury in abortionist Kermit Gosnell's 'House of Horrors' case....House Bill 643 is one additional legislative effort to ensure that the horrors of Gosnell are not repeated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" (3/13/17)

In addition, as per the Pro Life Coalition of Pennsylvania, 

• Some progress has occurred in our attempts to persuade the Pa. House of Representatives leaders to pass S.B.3 rather than their own bill, H.B.77.  Please urge Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai and Majority Leader Dave Reed to run S.B.3 as soon as possible.  Their contact information is
  
  Speaker Mike Turzai
  mturzai@pahousegop.com
  717-772-9943
  
  Majority Leader Dave Reed
  dreed@pahousegop.com
  717-705-7173 (3/24/17)

• The Pro Life Coalition of Pa also supports anticipated legislation, which "would assign the lowest priority for the receipt of state 'women's health services' funds...to any abortion-committing organization" (3/3/17)

"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (3/25/17)

3/25/17, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

 "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" *

* Photos from the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth:

Pope Francis says migrant crisis is ‘biggest tragedy’ since Second World War ( CatholicHerald.co.uk, 3/23/17)

http://www.catholicherald.co.ukwww.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/03/23/pope-francis-says-migrant-crisis-is-biggest-tragedy-since-second-world-war/

Christ’s restored tomb inaugurated in Jerusalem (CWN, 3/24/17)

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=31098&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20CatholicWorldNewsFeatureStories%20%28Catholic%20World%20News%20%28on%20CatholicCulture.org%29%29

Other than the last photo, which is a view inside Christ's tomb, these photos were taken at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by this blogger on 3/13/17.

Freedom from Sexploitation Agenda (3/17/17)

http://endsexualexploitation.org/wp-content/uploads/NCOSE_Freedom-from-Sexploitation-Agenda_Policy-Recommendations_03-17-2017.pdf

Surrogacy is Linked to Serious Worldwide Sex Trafficking Problems ( LifeNews.com, 3/22/17)

http://www.lifenews.com/2017/03/22/surrogacy-is-linked-to-serious-worldwide-sex-trafficking-problems/

Don't lose your humanity in refugee debate, US bishops say (CNA/EWTN, 3/22/17)

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dont-lose-your-humanity-in-refugee-debate-us-bishops-say-13558/

The Pa Pro Life Federation urges us to ask our members of congress to support HR 1628, WHICH MAY RECEIVE A VOTE TOMORROW!

UPDATE: As per today's email from the Pa Pro Life Federation, "call your Congressman and urge him to vote 'yes' on the pro-life health care bill, H.R. 1628, which may be voted on Thursday. You can reach your Congressman through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121."

 3/25/17, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

 "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" *

• Click here to review the federal positions backed by our bishops.  On the right side of the home page is a link to send a combined email to the offices of Pa's congressional delegation, regarding those positions.

• Tell Bob Casey not to block the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court --corrected number (Pa Pro Life Federation, 3/17/17)

• Click here to review state positions backed by the Pa Catholic Conference, the Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania and/or the Pa Pro Life Federation.  On the right side of the home page is a link to send a combined email to Bucks County's representatives and senators in Harrisburg.
• With regard to the dismemberment abortion ban [cf, Pa Catholic Conference, Pa Pro Life Federation], the Pro Life Coalition of Pa tells us that "The Pa. House likely has a veto proof majority (of 136 votes) to pass S.B.3.  However, the Pa. House leaders have not yet committed to run S.B.3....the Pa. House's passage of H.B.77 and failure to pass S.B.3 will likely result in a stalemate in which no pro-life legislation is sent to Gov. Wolf because the Pa. Senate refuses to run H.B.77 and the Pa. House refuses to run S.B.3....Please contact Speaker Turzai and Rep. Baker, and urge them to run S.B.3 in the Pa. House and not H.B.77." 

• Act now to stop assisted suicide (Diocese of Trenton, 11/4/16)

• Boycott Target and boycotts/actions from America Needs Fatima and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Catholic Medical Ethics and Our Need to be Authentic Witnesses to the Sanctity of Human Life

• On the right side of the home page is a link to email USCCB President Cardinal DiNardo, USCCB Pro Life Chair Cardinal Dolan, USCCB Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth Chair Archbishop Chaput, and National Catholic Bioethics Center President John Haas, PhD, STL.

Say, Hasn't the Church Already Said a Few Things about Marriage/Family/Sexuality? (1/29/17)

• Marriage Unique for a Reason (USCCB, 3/3/17) 

• "The confessor does not do his own will and he does not teach his own doctrine. He is called to do always and only the will of God, in full communion with the Church, of which he is minister, that is, servant....the Confessional is place of evangelization and, therefore, of formation....To hear confessions is a pastoral priority. Please, let there not be those notices: 'Confessions are heard only on Mondays and Wednesdays from this hour to that hour.' You hear confessions every time they are requested. And if you are there [in the Confessional] praying, keep the Confessional open, which is God’s open heart" (Pope Francis, 3/17/17)

• NaPro-TECHNOLOGY, New Hope in Infertility

Catholic Social Teaching

•  Good Friday collection supports Church in the Holy Land (CatholicHerald.co.uk, 3/22/17)

• The 30 articles of the UN's Declaration of Human Rights (3/20/17 photos)
  
  
• "The United States mustn’t cut foreign aid while conflicts, famines, and a worldwide refugee crisis rage, Catholic leaders are insisting" (EWTN News / CNA, 3/19/17)

• On our duty to welcome the stranger (Archbishop Chaput, 3/17/17)
  
  
• Trafficking Survivors Tell UN: Strengthen Families To Protect Women and Girls (C-Fam, 3/17/17)
  
  
• More organizations appeal to Trump – ‘Religious liberty is in crisis’ (LifeSite, 3/15/17)
• "The Report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as other sources, depict all too well the disastrous situation that  continues to unfold after more than six  years of violence: hundreds of thousands of victims and wounded; family-life disrupted; infrastructure, houses, schools, hospitals, and places of worship wrecked; entire cities ravaged; malnutrition and inadequate medical care. This is the grim reality that the Syrian people face every day....my delegation wishes to emphasize that the dignity inherent in every human person must take every precedence over power and revenge.  The unjust suffering of the innocent victims of this senseless slaughter should motivate all involved parties to engage in a serious dialogue and to work towards a future of peace and justice" (Holy See to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on Syria, 3/14/17).  

* Photos from the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth:

Urgent alert--Call Your Congressman and Urge Him to Vote Yes onHealth Care Bill (Pa Pro Life, 3/22/17)

---

From: Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
Sent: ‎3/‎22/‎2017 11:07 AM
To: faithfulinthe8th@gmail.com
Subject: Urgent alert--Call Your Congressman and Urge Him to Vote Yes onHealth Care Bill

Legislative Alert Call Your Congressman and Urge Him to Vote for the American Health Care Act! Urge Your Congressman to Vote for Pro-Life Health Care Bill! by Maria Gallagher, Legislative/PAC Director gallagher@paprolife.org I am forwarding to you an urgent message from National Right to Life, encouraging you to call your Congressman and urge him to vote "yes" on the pro-life health care bill, H.R. 1628, which may be voted on Thursday. You can reach your Congressman through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. If you don't know who your Congressman is, click here.   The Department of Federal Legislation (of National Right to Life) requests that you call your Representative today and urge him to vote for H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act of 2017.  This should be a TOP priority as the bill is likely to come up for a vote TOMORROW, Thursday March 23rd.    This legislation would eliminate multiple abortion-subsidizing and abortion-expanding provisions of the Obama Health Care law or the PPACA. The PPACA contains multiple provisions authorizing federal subsidies for abortion and abortion-expanding regulatory mandates.  A 2014 GAO report revealed that over 1,000 federally subsidized plans nationwide were covering elective abortion. H.R. 1628 would repeal the provisions of law that created this system, and prohibit any future federal tax credits from subsidizing the purchase of plans that cover elective abortion, thereby restoring the longstanding principles of the Hyde Amendment with respect to federally funded health coverage. We are supporting H.R. 1628 because it: 1)    prevents credits from  being used for plans that pay for abortions 2)    eliminates about 85% of federal PP funding for the next year. 3)    preserves non-taxed employer  provided health plans and 4)    postpones the "Cadillac tax" until 2026 Our position applies only to the current House language.  If the bill is altered in a way adverse to pro-life interests, our position will be reevaluated. Thank you for making these critical calls!   Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation If you have trouble accessing any of these stories, you can find them here. --Pregnant? Need help? Click here --Had an abortion? Need to talk to     someone? Click here --Interested in volunteering? Click here --Visit our blog for the latest pro-life updates!

PA Pro-Life Federation, 4800 Jonestown Rd., Suite 102, Harrisburg, PA 17109 SafeUnsubscribe™ faithfulinthe8th@gmail.com Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by gallagher@paprolife.org

Good Friday collection supports Church in the Holy Land (CatholicHerald.co.uk, 3/22/17)

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/03/22/good-friday-collection-supports-church-in-the-holy-land/

Trafficking Survivors Tell UN: Strengthen Families To Protect Women and Girls (C-Fam, 3/17/17)

https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/trafficking-survivors-tell-un-strengthen-families-protect-women-girls/

The 30 articles of the UN's Declaration of Human Rights

Faithfulinthe8th@gmail.com