Marriage Unique for a Reason (USCCB, Aug 2018)

August 2018 Continuing the U.S. Bishops' work of promoting and defending marriage. Visit our Website Inclusion Act: Victory in the House Appropriations Committee! 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 during the August recess, urging them to support the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act. (CNS/ Bob Roller) Here's a message from Archbishop Kurtz: Dear sisters and brothers, May God bless you! I am grateful for your efforts on behalf of religious freedom, whether you are a seasoned veteran in these issues, or are just beginning to get involved. Catholic adoption and foster care ministries are in a precarious position. Pennsylvania, where I was born and raised, may join Illinois, Massachusetts, California, and the District of Columbia on the list of places that exclude child welfare service providers who believe that children do best with a married mother and father. The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act aims to protect these faith-based ministries. I urge you to contact your Representatives and urge them to support the Inclusion Act. You can send an email, make a phone call, and even write a letter to the editor of your local news source. Thank you for your service to the Church! With prayerful best wishes, I am                                                               Sincerely yours in the Lord,                                                               Most Reverend Joseph Kurtz                                                              Archbishop of Louisville                                                               Chair, Committee for Religious Liberty 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. 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 July, "Made for Love" featured episodes on the anniversary of Humanae Vitae (Part One and Part Two) and Natural Family Planning: Part One and Part Two) There are extra features to the show notes on the blog. In August, we will hear stories about cross-cultural marriage. 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. There will be 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. Humanae Vitae was also the theme for this year's observation of Natural Family Planning Awareness Week (July 22- 28). Gender Ideology Resource The USCCB has a helpful teaching resource about gender-- it's a compilation of quotes from popes and Church documents. Read and share! Legal Updates U.S. federal district courts have continued to advance “gender identity” politics this summer. Wisconsin In a decision that is part of a national trend, a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled on July 25, 2018 that the state’s Medicaid program must provide "sex reassignment" surgeries to residents. Florida In a Florida school bathroom case, Adams v. The School Bd. of St. John’s County, a court on July 26, 2018 required admission of a biological female, who asserts a male identity, to boys’ restrooms. Puerto Rico Meanwhile, on July 16, 2018 in Puerto Rico, the island government implemented an earlier court ruling in Arroyo v. Rosselló, requiring the editing of gender on birth certificates on demand.

Excluding faith-based providers harms kids by cutting off agencies that can help them (USCCB, 7/30/18)

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1100920568270&ca=bff56673-b205-4a89-833f-7a13a85573a5

Remarks by Vice President Pence at Ministerial To Advance Religious Freedom (7/26/18)

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-vice-president-pence-ministerial-advance-religious-freedom/

"I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst."

8/5/18, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
(audio of readings)

• Abortion is NOT Family Planning! - Show your support for the "Protect Life Rule"
  [Tuesday is the last day to comment.] (USCCB)



On the right side of the home page are links to email the White House and the Pa Congressional Delegation (or the While House and the NJ Congressional Delegation; 
See 7/29/18 issues update and report cards) 

• On the right side of the home page is a link to email the Bucks County delegation in Harrisburg (See 7/29/18 issues update with CORRECTED report card)
• HB 2050 should be up for a vote in the Pa Senate.  Senators Blake, Loughlin, McIlhinney, Tartaglione, and Yudichak should particularly be reminded to stand up for pre-born children with Down Syndrome.

• On the right side of the home page is a link to email the Burlington, Mercer, Monnouth, and Ocean delegations in Trenton (See 7/21/18 issues update). 

"Civil authority should consider it a grave duty 'to acknowledge the true nature of marriage and the family, to protect and foster them, to safeguard public morality, and promote domestic prosperity.'"

(Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Ireland, a Land of Atrophied Consciences (CatholicLane, 6/6/18)

Pa Issues (7/29/18 update with CORRECTED report card)

Pa Catholic Conference

Current Alerts:

• Support a Better Life for Human Trafficking Victims [SB 554]
• Support Unborn Children with Down Syndrome [HB 2050]
• Amend POLST Bill: Protect Vulnerable Patients from Being Denied Necessary Medical Treatment
• Reauthorize CHIP (Federal)
  [with Pa House Bill 1933!  As per the Pa Family.org, "I ask for your support of HB 1933, and end the taxpayer-funding of 'sex change' surgery on children through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and on adults through Medicaid. This life-altering surgery harms children and adults alike."]
• Should Doctors Be Neutral on Suicide?

Some Additional Information:

• Senate Bill 613/House Bill 1410 would add “gender identity or expression” and “sexual orientation” to Pennsylvania’s non-discrimination law. Changing the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) will jeopardize many churches and their charitable outreach if they continue to adhere to their religious beliefs because the proposals do not adequately provide for conscience protection.....Urge lawmakers to oppose any bill that does not adequately protect our constitutional right of religious liberty" (https://www.pacatholic.org/legislative-review/). 
  [The HB 300 of the 2013 Session was described by the Pa Catholic Conference as "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."  Yet, its co-sponsors included Bucks County's Tina Davis, John Galloway, Scott Petri, Marguerite Quinn, and Steve Santarsiero.  That old HB 300 evolved, if you will, into HB 1410. with co-sponsors including Tina Davis, John Galloway, Helen Tai, Perry Warren, Kathy Watson, and Marguerite Quinn.  Among SB 613's  co-sponsors is Chuck McIlhinney.  With McIlhinney stepping down, both Santarsiero and Quinn are looking for fill his seat.]  
• "Senate Bill 300 [/HB 1542?] would prioritize the limited federal and state public funding women’s health services and family planning first to the most efficient and comprehensive health care providers. Health care providers such as federally qualified health centers that provide many different services like diabetes and heart disease screening, even flu shots, would have priority. Other providers that are more focused on family planning such as Planned Parenthood would be lower on the list for funding" (https://www.pacatholic.org/legislative-review/)

Pa Family.org Citizen Action Center  

• Pass the Down Syndrome Protection Act - House Bill 2050​
• "tell your elected officials No on SB 613 and HB 1410 / HB 2341"

Bucks County's Delegation in Harrisburg 

General Assembly		Support HB 2050	Oppose HB 1410	Oppose HB 2341	Support SB 554	Support HB 1542
18th	DiGirolamo, Gene (R)	Voted Yea
29th	O'Neill, Bernie (R)	Voted Yea
31st	Warren, Perry S. (D)	Voted No	Co-sponsor
140th	Galloway, John T. (D)	Voted Yea	Co-sponsor
141st	Davis, Tina M. (D)	Voted No	Co-sponsor
142nd	Farry, Frank A. (R)	Voted No
143rd	Quinn, Marguerite (R)	Voted Yea	Co-sponsor
144th	Watson, Katharine M. (R)	Voted Yea	Co-sponsor
145th	Staats, Craig T. (R)	Voted Yea				Co-sponsor
178th	Tai, Helen (D)		Co-Sponsor
State Senate		Support HB 2050	Oppose SB 613		Support SB 554	Support SB 300
6th	Robert M. Tomlinson (R)				Voted Yea
10th	Charles T. McIlhinney Jr. (R)		Co-sponsor		Voted Yea
12th	Stewart J. Greenleaf (R)				Voted Yea
24th	Bob Mensch (R)				Voted Yea