"As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just" (1st reading, 3/3/19)

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (3/3/19) (audio) (signed homily)

• "A Washington Post article first posted online on Jan. 19 reported on a Jan. 18 incident at the Lincoln Memorial. Subsequent reporting, a student’s statement and additional video allow for a more complete assessment of what occurred, either contradicting or failing to confirm accounts provided in that story — including that Native American activist Nathan Phillips was prevented by one student from moving on, that his group had been taunted by the students in the lead-up to the encounter, and that the students were trying to instigate a conflict. The high school student facing Phillips issued a statement contradicting his account; the bishop in Covington, Ky., apologized for the statement condemning the students; and an investigation conducted for the Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School found the students’ accounts consistent with videos. Subsequent Post coverage, including video, reported these developments: “Viral standoff between a tribal elder and a high schooler is more complicated than it first seemed”; “Kentucky bishop apologizes to Covington Catholic students, says he expects their exoneration”; “Investigation finds no evidence of ‘racist or offensive statements’ in Mall incident.” A Jan. 22 correction to the original story reads: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly said that Native American activist Nathan Phillips fought in the Vietnam War. Phillips said he served in the U.S. Marines but was never deployed to Vietnam." (Washington Post, 3/1/19)

• Mother, daughter talked about demons before massacre that left 5 family members dead, sister says (nj.com, 2/28/19) 

• "As the latest sexual-abuse crisis to plague the Church has continued to unfold, I am convinced that we are still in the early stages of this cataclysmic, if providential, event....Only by identifying the poisons of predatory homosexuality, licentiousness of every kind, poor formation and worldliness, and ultimately the abuse of power that has shielded all such behavior among clergy and professed religious can these scourges be removed. The Church identified the poison in McCarrick, but there are many more toxic situations yet to be uncovered and dealt with decisively" (National Catholic Register, 2/21/19). 

• Excommunication, Abortion and Catholic Lawmakers: What Can Be Done? Bishop Edward Scharfenberger of Albany, New York, discusses possible canon-law responses in the wake of New York State’s new legislation that removed third-trimester-abortion restrictions (National Catholic Register, 2/21/19)
• "In 1968 only 338 annulments were granted in the United States. Today, the U.S. church approves more than 50,000 every year. 'An annulment is, essentially, a conclusion based upon evidence that (what) would appear to have been a solid and binding marriage was, in fact, not,' said Monsignor Edward Scharfenberger, judicial vicar of the Dioceses of New York. But while it's a process that allows thousands of divorced Catholics to participate, it is pushing away many others who believe it is hypocritical....The controversy was brought to the attention of the nation recently by Sheila Rauch Kennedy, who is appealing the annulment of her 12-year marriage to Democrat U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts....'The problem is that unquestionably in Western society many marriages are not properly founded,' Scharfenberger said" (CNN, 7/6/97).
• "Young Kennedy[i.e., Rep Joseph Kennedy III]’s father, former Rep. Joseph Kennedy Jr., will be remembered for trying to annul his 12-year marriage to Sheila Rauch Kennedy so he could marry his second wife. Rauch’s best-selling book, 'Shattered Faith: A Woman’s Struggle to Stop the Catholic Church from Annulling Her Marriage,' upended father Joe’s Senate bid [Actually, it was a bid for governor.]; a decade later, the church reversed the annulment."(amNewYork, 2/5/18)
Sign the Petition to Repeal the Abortion Law (NYS Catholic Conf, 2/20/19)  

• Support the Born Alive Survivors Protection Act (HR 962) (NCHLA, 2/26/19) 
• While Pa's Casey and Toomey both voted pro life on S311 (Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act), NJ's Booker and Menendez voted in a pro death manner (2/25/19)
  
• Support the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (USCCB)
• Urge your Representative and Senators to repeal the "Parking Lot Tax!" (USCCB)
• I Cherish Life: I call on Congress to ban late term abortions when babies feel pain!(Family Policy Alliance, 2/6/19)
• Tell the Senate to Reject Religion Tests for Judicial Nominees (USCCB, 2/6/19)
• Common Ground on the INEQUALITY of the So-Called Equality Act?(cf.,Andrew Sullivan, NY Magazine, 2/1/19)
• Equality Act and Do No Harm Act with Robert Vega (USCCB, 1/26/19)
• Made for Love (MUR e-news) March 2019
• Save the Hyde Amendment (March for Life Action, 1/24/19)
• Sen Paul Reintroduces 'Life at Conception Act' and Bill to End Planned Parenthood Funding (CNSNews, 1/18/19) 
• Stop Taxpayer Funding of Abortion: "New threats are emerging at the state and federal levels to force us taxpayers to pay for abortion. Please sign our new petition demanding that elected officials prevent taxpayer funding of abortion. You can sign the petition by clicking here." (Pa Pro Life Federation, 1/28/19 email)

• Please Urge Lawmakers to support an increase in the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) (Pa Catholic Conference, 2/26/19)
• Please urge your [Pa] Representative or Senator to suppot or co-sponsor Down Syndrome Protection Legislation (Pa Catholic Conference, 2/13/19)
• Please ask your State Representative to Co-Sponsor the "Heart-Beat Bill" proposed by Stephanie Borow (Pa Catholic Conference, 2/11/19)
• Urge your State Senator to co-sponsor Sen. Judy Ward's bill on Keystone Scholarship Program (Pa Catholic Conference, 2/8/19)
• Urge your lawmakers to support [Pa] House Bill 51 which helps individuals looking to receive nursing care (Pa Catholic Conference, 2/4/19)
• [Pa] Lawmakers want to take away our right to vote for judges (Pa Pro Life Federation, 1/28/19 email

• New Jersey's so-called "Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill" (2/21/19)
• Contact Your Legislators to Oppose Assisted Suicide (NJ Catholic Conference)
• Ask Murphy to Maintain Nonpublic School Funding in Budget (NJ Catholic Conference)

On the right side of the home page, you will find links to email Church leadership about "Catholic" health care, Bucks country representation in DC, Bucks County representation in Harrisburg, Central NJ representation in DC (some updates needed) and Central NJ in Trenton (as per most recent update from NJ Catholic Conference)