Catholic News 2
WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) -- The Latest on three police officers being shot while responding to a domestic related incident. (all times local):...
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The Latest on the 2016 presidential race, with attention focused on the Democratic primary in South Carolina on Saturday (all times local):...
WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) -- A newly sworn-in police officer on her first shift with her Virginia department was shot and killed Saturday and two of her colleagues were wounded in a confrontation stemming from a call about an argument....
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.""Even as Americans rema...
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others."
"Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion," wrote Cardinal Dolan, a powerful and well-funded lobby holds "that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a 'war on women'." He said this trend was seen recently when President Obama and other Democratic leaders prevented passage of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, "a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement" of conscience laws.
"While this is disturbing," said Cardinal Dolan, "it is also an opportunity." Pro-life Americans should reach out to "the great majority of Americans" who are "open to hearing a message of reverence for life." He added that "we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being." He encouraged Catholics to take part, through prayer and action, in the upcoming "9 Days for Life" campaign, January 16-24. More information on the campaign is available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJwfcefUiU
He also cited the Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis as a time for women and men to find healing through the Church's Project Rachel post-abortion ministry.
The full text of Cardinal Dolan's message is available online.
---
Keywords: Roe v. Wade, anniversary, Pro-Life, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9 Days for Life, USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Year of Mercy, Project Rachel, Pope Francis
# # #
MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
O: 202-541-3206
WASHINGTON-The Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, February 1, on behalf of USCCB, the Texas Catholic Conference and several Christian partners in support of a Texas law mandating health and safety standards protecting women who undergo abortions. Other groups joining the brief include the National Association of Evangelicals, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The case is Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court."There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."The brief noted that some abortion clinics have decla...
"There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."
The brief noted that some abortion clinics have declared the standards too strict, although the standards are similar to those issued by the abortion industry. It added that abortion providers "should not be allowed to rely upon their own failure to comply with health and safety laws" as a reason to strike such laws down. The brief said the providers' resistance to such regulations is not in the best interests of women's health and safety. It also noted that over 40 years of precedent, including the Court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirms that states may regulate abortion to protect maternal life and health.
Full text of the brief is available online: www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/Whole-Woman-s-Health-v-Hellerstedt.pdf
---
Keywords: General Counsel, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Texas law abortion, amicus curia, National Association of Evangelicals, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, U.S. Supreme Court
# # #
Rome, Italy, Feb 27, 2016 / 04:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- For Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, Pope Francis had a simple message to tell the people of Mexico: “you are not forgotten.”Bishop Cantú, who chairs the U.S. bishops’ committee on international justice and peace, said the Pope’s visit showed Mexico “that the Holy Father cares about you, and that God is with us even in difficult moments, even in the darkness of life.”He was one of two U.S. bishops who took part in every Mass which Pope Francis celebrated in Mexico during his Feb. 12-18 trip.The bishop, whose see is in the U.S. state of New Mexico, spoke with CNA Feb. 25 during a visit to Rome. He said the Pope showed his presence as a pastor for Mexicans and acted in the spirit of Our Lady of Guadalupe.He was particularly struck by the Pope’s approach to Mexico’s indigenous people; the Roman Pontiff had told them they should be included in the decision-making of soci...
Rome, Italy, Feb 27, 2016 / 04:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- For Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, Pope Francis had a simple message to tell the people of Mexico: “you are not forgotten.”
Bishop Cantú, who chairs the U.S. bishops’ committee on international justice and peace, said the Pope’s visit showed Mexico “that the Holy Father cares about you, and that God is with us even in difficult moments, even in the darkness of life.”
He was one of two U.S. bishops who took part in every Mass which Pope Francis celebrated in Mexico during his Feb. 12-18 trip.
The bishop, whose see is in the U.S. state of New Mexico, spoke with CNA Feb. 25 during a visit to Rome. He said the Pope showed his presence as a pastor for Mexicans and acted in the spirit of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
He was particularly struck by the Pope’s approach to Mexico’s indigenous people; the Roman Pontiff had told them they should be included in the decision-making of society and that their dignity should be elevated.
Bishop Cantú also noted the Pope’s encouragement for victims of violence. The Roman Pontiff also told young people that they have something to contribute to the good of society and of Mexico.
“As Christians we are a people of hope,” Bishop Cantú said.
On Feb. 17 Pope Francis visited the U.S.-Mexico border at Ciudad Juarez. He waved to those on the other side of the border fence, out in the west Texas town of El Paso.
“I think he wanted to give a human face to migrants,” Bishop Cantú reflected. “They are people. They are human beings. Most of them are very, very well-intentioned and good people.”
These migrants are trying to escape violence, “crushing poverty” and a bad economy, the bishop continued. He encouraged people to look to the root causes of migration: economic and trade policy and lack of infrastructure investment.
“I think that there are sensible solutions that are consonant with the Gospel,” Bishop Cantú said.
The bishop said that Pope Francis had stern words for the Mexico government about its responsibility to provide for the good of Mexico. The Pope also spoke of Mexico’s responsibility to provide a job-supporting economy so that people can raise their families and are not forced to emigrate.
The Church does not believe in open borders, and believes in a country’s right to protect its borders, according to Bishop Cantú. The Church also encourages countries to cooperate with their neighbors.
Migration has played a significant role in the bishop’s own life. His father came to the U.S. from Mexico in the mid-1950s to look for work.
“He grew up on a farm and he didn’t see a future in farming in northern Mexico. He went with one of his brothers and a cousin to Chicago. They worked odd jobs and made a living,” the bishop said.
The bishop’s father met his mother one summer when he returned to Mexico to visit. “The next summer he married her and brought her up to Chicago,” he said, and they became American citizens.
“In a way their hearts were always in Mexico,” Bishop Cantú reflected. “I love Mexico. I consider myself Mexican in heart. I also love America. This is where I was born.”
“There’s no dichotomy in being a Mexican-American. We love both countries because we have part of ourselves in both countries.”
He said it had become much more difficult for immigrants to become American citizens.
“I think that there are some sensible ways that we can update the laws of immigration in our country,” he said. “Something that everybody agrees on is that our immigration laws are broken. I think we are wise enough and smart enough to fix them. It just takes some political will and some courage.”
Bishop Cantú is one of the signers of a petition to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry about the situation facing Christians in Iraq and Syria. The petition asks the U.S. government to recognize as genocide the Islamic State’s atrocities against Christians and other religious minorities.
The bishop said the petition is important to show that the world is watching the situation and to help ensure that the Islamic State does not go unpunished.
“That they have killed Christians simply for the fact that they are Christians. I think it is important to call it what it is.”
Bishop Cantú also spoke of the Obama administration’s efforts to close the United States’ Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, noting that “the bishops’ conference has supported for some time the closing of Guantanamo.”
He said there are human rights issues with U.S. policy there. Accused terrorist detainees have been held there without trial for many years.
“I think that Guantanamo represents a stain on the soul of America. We need to hold ourselves to the same standard that we hold others,” Bishop Cantú said. He advocated that the detainees be released “with some responsibility, knowing that here is some probability that they have committed crimes.”
HESSTON, Kan. (AP) -- Grieving residents of this small Kansas town parked riding lawnmowers with American flags planted beside them along some streets on Saturday and adorned them with "Hesston Hustler Strong" signs in a symbolic reference to the lawn equipment brand from the factory where a gunman killed three co-workers....
DUBLIN (AP) -- Ireland could be on course for a historic alliance between age-old foes - the Fine Gael and Fianna Fail parties - as partial election results Saturday revealed strong voter rejection of the existing coalition government of Prime Minister Enda Kenny....
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The Latest on the 2016 presidential race, with attention focused on the Democratic primary in South Carolina on Saturday (all times local):...
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Hillary Clinton overwhelmed Bernie Sanders in Saturday's South Carolina primary, drawing staggering support from the state's black Democrats and seizing an increasingly strong position as the presidential race barrels toward Super Tuesday's crucial contests....
