http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/usccb/ en-us Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:29:18 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2139279/posts November 25, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE U.S. Bishops Offer Support to Mormons Targeted for Defending Marriage, Backing California's Proposition Eight WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops offered "prayerful support and steadfast solidarity" to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in the face of attacks on the church and its members for working to pass California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage. The support was offered in a November 21 letter from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, chairman of the bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, to Thomas S. Monson, president of the Mormon Church. The letter follows. Dear... USCCB http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2139279/posts#comment Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:29:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2136369/posts Baltimore, Nov 11, 2008 (CNA).- The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has not yet been able to determine if grants made to ACORN were used for fraudulent voter registration, but has cut off all funding to the community organizing group, Bishop Robert Morin announced on Tuesday. Shortly after addressing the full assembly of U.S. Catholic bishops, Bishop Morin spoke to reporters about what the bishops had learned concerning the use of grants from the CCHD to the group Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which is currently under investigation in 13 states for voter fraud. CCHD originally... EWTN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2136369/posts#comment Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:37:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2134945/posts WASHINGTON, November 19, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The possible signing of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) by President-Elect Barack Obama would be "the equivalent of a war" an unnamed senior Vatican official recently told TIME magazine.  The startling comments make the second time this week that a Vatican official has forthrightly and in the strongest language condemned Obama's extreme policies on abortion.  Speaking at the Catholic University of America a few days ago, Vatican Cardinal James Stafford labeled Obama's anti-life policies as "aggressive, disruptive, and apocalyptic," also noting that, "On November 4, 2008, America suffered a cultural earthquake" (see... LifeSiteNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2134945/posts#comment Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:56:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2132957/posts "Aggressively pro-abortion policies...would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion." U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN JUNE last year, Barack Obama, campaigning for president, addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. He said that, if elected, the first thing he would do would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. At that time, he was battling Hillary Clinton, a pro-choice advocate, for the Democratic nomination. Obama argued that his credentials on this issue were equally strong. He was a sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act, together with 19 other senators and 108... North Jersey http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2132957/posts#comment Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:16:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2132115/posts I've had lots of people asking me about ACORN and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CHD). Both are certainly in the news alot these days: The CCHD has donated more than $7.3 million to ACORN-related projects over the past decade, including $40,000 to an ACORN chapter in Las Vegas, Nevada, that was raided before the election in an investigation into fraudulent voter registration forms. Among other questionable documents, the ACORN chapter submitted registration forms for members of the Dallas Cowboys football team.Earlier this week I blogged about the US bishops' decision to stop funding ACORN. Now many folks... American Papist http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2132115/posts#comment Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:40:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2131549/posts Ed Morissey at Hot Air tells us how serious the bishops are about not allowing Catholic Hospitals to be forced into performing abortions under FOCA: [The bishops will] shut them down and take the losses in order to prevent their use as abortion clinics. To do otherwise, the bishops stated, would be to cooperate in the evil of abortions. What kind of impact would that have? The Catholic Church is one of the nation’s biggest health-care providers. In 2007, they ran 557 hospitals that serviced over 83 million patients. The church also had 417 clinics that saw over seven... American Papist http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2131549/posts#comment Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:51:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131303/posts BALTIMORE - The US Conference of Catholic Bishops is permanently cutting off all funding for ACORN in the wake of an embezzlement scandal and allegations of voter registration fraud and political partisanship. The national nonprofit, with more than 1,200 local affiliates, attempts to organize low-income people to advocate for improvement in their communities. Bishop Roger P. Morin of New Orleans said yesterday that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, an antipoverty program run by the bishops' conference, decided that it could no longer be certain of ACORN's integrity or accountability. The bishops had been giving $1.1 million a year to... Boston Globe http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131303/posts#comment Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:42:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131108/posts In the last Congress, a Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) was introduced that would, if brought forward in the same form today, outlaw any "interference" in providing abortion at will. It would deprive the American people in all fifty states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country. Parental notification and informed consent precautions... Catholic Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131108/posts#comment Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:00:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131061/posts Meeting on the second day of their annual conference, the nation's Catholic bishops urged an aggressive campaign to oppose the pro-abortion bill expected to be the centerpiece of the Barack Obama administration. They also mentioned concerns about Catholic hospitals being forced to do abortions. The FOCA bill, known as the Freedom of Choice Act, is the number one goal of abortion advocates, who feel emboldened by Obama's election. It would not only make unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy a national law but it would overturn the laws in all 50 states designed to reduce abortions. During the meeting, the bishops appeared... LifeNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131061/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:46:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130860/posts No retreat, no surrender” is perhaps the best way to sum up the spirit of the U.S. bishops’ discussion of abortion and politics this afternoon, though the bishops stopped short of adopting any new policy on the denial of communion to pro-choice Catholic politicians. Meeting in Baltimore, the bishops embraced a full frontal challenge with regard to the abortion policies of the incoming Obama administration, especially its support of the “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA), which would undo existing restrictions on abortion at the state and federal levels, and which, according to some interpretations, could actually penalize hospitals that do... National Catholic Reporter http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130860/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:29:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130908/posts Catholic bishops issued a call for fierce opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) from their annual national conference. They offered olive branches to the incoming Barack Obama administration on a wide range of policies, but drew the line at rolling back every abortion restriction over the last 35 years. Saying that they could never cooperate with evil, the bishops called into question whether the Catholic Church would continue to provide health care if FOCA passes: Meeting on the second day of their annual conference, the nation’s Catholic bishops urged an aggressive campaign to oppose the pro-abortion bill expected... hotair.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130908/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:40:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131010/posts Fresh off of his election victory, President-elect Barack Obama is already facing a fight from another opponent – the Catholic Church – on the issue of abortion. "Anytime someone like him, someone with his position [on abortion] is elected to a major office, it increases the difficulty for us," Ed Mechmann, of the NY Archdiocese, said. Mechmann says that at their annual meeting this week, the nation's Catholic bishops are discussing how to tackle Obama's support of the Freedom of Choice Act. That act, which currently stands before Congress, seeks to overturn the 2003 legislation signed by President Bush that... CBS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2131010/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:34:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130505/posts BALTIMORE - America's Roman Catholic bishops, long one of the leading political forces against abortion, vowed on Tuesday to accept no compromise for the sake of unity until there is legal protection for the unborn. About 300 prelates gathered here for their national meeting adopted a formal blessing for a child in the womb and advised Chicago's Cardinal Francis George as he drafted a post-election letter to America's Catholics. The moves were meant to tell the incoming Obama administration, which supports keeping abortion legal, that the nation's Catholic bishops are stepping up their opposition to abortion. "This is not a... Chicago Tribune on-line http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130505/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:58:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130136/posts The head of the U.S. Catholic bishops' group said on Monday that Barack Obama's election as president should be celebrated but he made it clear the church would not compromise its strict stand against abortion. Obama won solid support from Catholics in last week's election, exit polls indicated, even though the church opposes the view, supported by the Illinois Democratic senator, that a woman has the right to choose whether to have an abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 legalized abortion. Obama's election "is a moment that touches more than our history when a country... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130136/posts#comment Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:39:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2130430/posts BALTIMORE (CNS) -- With a new administration and a Democratic-dominated Congress about to take office, the U.S. bishops will spell out their concerns about policies and laws that might make abortion more readily available. After a total of nearly three hours of discussion in public and private sessions Nov. 11 during their annual fall meeting, the bishops gave their president, Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George, a set of concerns about abortion and other matters to raise in a public statement he will issue on their behalf. The statement was to be completed for final approval Nov. 12. Key to... CNS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2130430/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:42:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2129429/posts Bishops will not skip debate on abortion and politics What will really happen this week at the USCCB meeting Baltimore, Nov 9, 2008 / 11:08 pm (CNA).- Since the election of Barack Obama as the next President of the United States, several Catholic commentators have speculated on how the original agenda of the annual Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will change. According to bishops involved in the organization of the three-day meeting, which starts this Monday, the agenda, including a public discussion of abortion and politics, is fully on track. Speculation that the... www.catholicnewsagency.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2129429/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:19:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2129369/posts Cardinal Francis George, President of the USCCB and Bishop Gerald Kicanas (left) Baltimore, Nov 9, 2008 / 11:08 pm (CNA).- Since the election of Barack Obama as the next President of the United States, several Catholic commentators have speculated on how the original agenda of the annual Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will change. According to bishops involved in the organization of the three-day meeting, which starts this Monday, the agenda, including a public discussion of abortion and politics, is fully on track. Speculation that the agenda might change came late last... CNA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2129369/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:46:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2129148/posts I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: It ain’t easy being a bishop. As proof, just consider the avalanche of wildly conflicting advice descending upon the Catholic bishops of the United States as they gather Nov. 10-13 in Baltimore, most of it focused on abortion, the 2008 elections, and where the bishops go from here. Some analysts, especially those of a more liberal bent, are spinning the election of Barak Obama as a “repudiation” of what they see as an overly strident and partisan tone from the bishops, especially on abortion. A few ardently pro-life Catholics, meanwhile, actually... National Catholic Reporter Conversation Cafe http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2129148/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:19:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2128102/posts It's been said before but bears repeating: for the first time since its inception in 1976, last year's November Meeting saw the latest edition of US bishops' presidential-year text on Faithful Citizenship debated and voted on by the entire body (as opposed to emerging from the conference's Administrative Committee), that the prelates might cast themselves in one voice before the nation and its Catholic fold with a document they "owned." Initial signs were favorable: in a feel-good moment for all sides, the text passed with 98% of the bishops in favor... but something else happened along the way. Interest... WITL http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2128102/posts#comment Fri, 7 Nov 2008 20:19:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2118008/posts Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American CatholicsA Statement by the Catholic Bishops of the United States [Paragraph 23] ... As we stressed in our 1995 statement Political Responsibility: "The application of Gospel values to real situations is an essential work of the Christian community." Adopting a consistent ethic of life, the Catholic Church promotes a broad spectrum of issues "seeking to protect human life and promote human dignity from the inception of life to its final moment."9 Opposition to abortion and euthanasia does not excuse indifference to those who suffer from poverty, violence and injustice. Any politics... United States Catholic Conference of Bishops http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2118008/posts#comment Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:39:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2117462/posts Will "Faithful Citizenship" Win the Catholic Vote For Obama? by Deal W. Hudson 10/27/08 If Obama wins on November 4 with the help of Catholic voters, the biggest factor in his favor will be the bishops' own document and Web site, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship." I never thought it likely that Catholic voters could be persuaded to support a candidate with both the most extreme record on abortion and who favors gay marriage. Yet, barring a miracle, that paradox is only a week away: The New York Times is reporting Obama 22 points ahead among Catholic voters. As I... insidecatholic.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2117462/posts#comment Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:10:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2112079/posts This is a breaking story - check back for updates. Thank God for our bishops. They have just released a press release on the USCCB website: Legal Protection for Unborn, Support for Mothers Both Needed, Say Cardinal Rigali and Bishop MurphyWASHINGTON—"Our faith requires us to oppose abortion on demand and to provide help to mothers facing challenging pregnancies," Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., said in an October 21 statement. The bishops urged Catholics to study the teaching of the Church, rather than rely on statements and materials from outside groups and... American Papist http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2112079/posts#comment Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:06:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2107271/posts 16 October 2008 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 3211 Fourth Street, NE Washington, DC 20017-1194 Dear Most Reverend Bishops, The Catholic vote in this country is irrelevant. Recent election data continues to show that both major political parties can rely on half of the Catholic vote. This means that neither one must consider our worldview when crafting their policies. Amazingly, the Democratic Party includes support for the intrinsically evil acts of abortion, homosexual marriage and embryonic stem cell research in its party platforms (national and state level)… and the American Catholic Bishops say nothing. Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden... Vanity http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2107271/posts#comment Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:36:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2101920/posts Will the Church Split Along Red and Blue Lines? by Deal W. Hudson 10/09/08 An Obama victory on November 4 is far from certain, but the momentum behind his campaign prompts me to wonder: What impact could an Obama administration have on the Catholic Church? The Bush victories in 2000 and 2004 brought a flood of commentary on the so-called red and blue states. If Obama wins in 2008, I would not be surprised to see the emergence of a similar division among Catholics. Many will finally realize, and admit to, the power of the political Left in their Church.... insidecatholic.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2101920/posts#comment Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:12:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2081605/posts When Barack Obama announced that he had chosen Joe Biden as his running mate, Catholic Democrats knew some kind of religious rumble was inevitable. (snip) Sure enough, the day after Biden's selection the archbishop of Denver declared that the Catholic senator should "refrain from presenting himself for communion." Archbishop Charles Chaput was one of the handful of Catholic leaders who had targeted Kerry in 2004, but he had become a marginalized in the bishops conference — losing key leadership elections — in part because of his extreme views about denying communion to politicians. His warning to Biden stood alone. Even... Time http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2081605/posts#comment Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:19:20 GMT