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WASHINGTON—In a letter to three Cabinet secretaries February 4, the heads of five major Catholic agencies serving Haitian earthquake victims outlined steps that should be taken to ensure the protection of unaccompanied Haitian children in the aftermath of the January 12th earthquake.
WASHINGTON— Jesuit Father Allan Figueroa Deck, executive director of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, announced February 4 the completion of a report titled National and Regional Hispanic Catholic Ministry Organizational Initiatives: An Assessment.
WASHINGTON—Years after the fall of communism, even though some are now European Union citizens, the Catholics of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union still have great needs. The 2010 Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, slated for February 17, Ash Wednesday, will focus on the theme “Great needs remain. Give faith to the future.”
Archbishop O’Brien Speaks At Summit Aimed At Eliminating Nuclear Weapons
WASHINGTON—Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore said humanity must “build a future free of the nuclear threat” in remarks on February 3 at the Global Zero Summit in Paris. The February 2-4 event brings together 200 international political, military, business and faith leaders for strategy talks on the phased elimination of all nuclear weapons.
WASHINGTON—The 2010 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering will bring together over 400 Catholic leaders from across the country with the theme, “Charity in Truth: Seeking the Common Good,” echoing Pope Benedict XVI’s most recent encyclical, Caritas in Veritate. Sponsored by 19 national Catholic organizations including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the gathering will take place February 7-10 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill.
Bishops Call for a Longterm Strategy in Haiti That Focuses on Poverty Reduction
WASHINGTON—The U.S. needs “a long-term coherent strategy for recovery, development and poverty reduction in Haiti,” helping Haiti rebuild and get back to the path of long-term sustainable development, said the chair of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace in a January 26 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk.
WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed “profound sorrow and deepest condolences for the terrible tragedy” in Haiti in a January 21 letter to Archbishop Louis Kébreau of Cap-Haïtien, President of the Haitian bishops. The letter was presented by New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the Board of Catholic Relief Services, at the January 23 funeral of Port-au-Prince Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot, who died in the January 12 earthquake. Archbishop Dolan officially represented the U.S. Bishops at the funeral.
U.S. Bishops Mourn Devastation in Haiti, Urge Special Collection January 16-17 to Support Efforts of USCCB, CRS
WASHINGTON—The Church mourns the terrible suffering of the people of Haiti, and parishes across the country are urged to take up a special collection the weekend of January 16-17 for the humanitarian efforts of the U.S. bishops and Catholic Relief Service (CRS) in Haiti, according to a January 13 letter to Catholic bishops of the United States from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago and Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York.
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WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops called on Congress to continue to work on health care reform to provide access for everyone, protection of life at all stages and conscience rights.
Pope Names Auxiliary Bishop Joe S. Vasquez as Bishop of Austin, Texas
WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Auxiliary Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Galveston-Houston, 52, as bishop of Austin, Texas, succeeding Archbishop Gregory Aymond, who was named archbishop of New Orleans, June 12, 2009.
World Day for Consecrated Life Set for February 7 in U.S.
WASHINGTON—The 14th celebration of the annual World Day for Consecrated Life, February 2, will be marked in the United States the weekend of Feb. 7. The occasion is celebrated in the United States on the Sunday following Feb. 2, to enable as much participation as possible. World Day for Consecrated Life marks an opportunity to highlight the extraordinary contributions of men and women religious in this country as well as a time to pray for vocations to the consecrated life.
WASHINGTON—Christian art can serve as a visual Gospel in a visual culture, according to a new book by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D., interim director of the Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
WASHINGTON—Christian Churches Together in the USA okayed a common action against poverty across the country for April 2, 2011 and issued a statement of solidarity with earthquake-stricken Haiti at their January 12-15 meeting outside Seattle.
WASHINGTON—Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, Chairman of the Board of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), will represent the U.S. Bishops at the Saturday, January 23, funeral of Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot in Port-au-Prince Haiti. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), asked Archbishop Dolan to serve as the representative of the U.S. Bishops.
WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. W. Michael Mulvey, 60, administrator of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, to be bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas, and accepted the resignation of Bishop Edmond Carmody,76, from pastoral governance of the Corpus Christi Diocese, January 18.
WASHINGTON—In a letter sent to president Barack Obama on Friday, January 15, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked the White House to designate the country of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
USCCB, Other Episcopal Conferences Call for the Courage to Achieve Peace in the Holy Land
WASHINGTON—Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Vice President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) joined with Catholic bishops from Europe and Canada in issuing a communiqué called "The Courage to Achieve Peace in the Holy Land" on behalf of the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church in the Holy Land. This communiqué was issued at a January 14 press conference at the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, at the end of the Coordination’s tenth annual visit to the Holy Land.
Video Messages of Archbishop Dolan Outline Haiti Devastation, Need for Generous Response
WASHINGTON—New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Chairman of Catholic Relief Services, appears in three Web videos addressing the devastation in Haiti in the wake of the January 12 earthquake and what Catholics can do to help.
The videos, shot during a January 13 interview in Rome with Catholic News Service, also note that the U.S. bishops have urged dioceses to take up a special collection the weekend of January 16-17 for humanitarian work in Haiti.
Priest Offers 'Ten Things That Promote Vocations' In Honor Of National Vocation Awareness Week
WASHINGTON—The Catholic Church celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week January 10-16. To encourage Catholics to foster vocations, Father David Toups, interim director of the Office of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offers “Ten Things” Catholics can do to promote vocations to priesthood and religious life.
Bishops Praise New Jersey Senate Vote Preserving Marriage
WASHINGTON—Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, expressed support for a January 7 New Jersey State Senate vote to preserve the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.
U.S. Bishops Call on Parishes to Help Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform
WASHINGTON—In a nationwide call to Catholics to prevent health care reform from being derailed by the abortion lobby, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has sent bulletin inserts and pulpit announcements to almost 19,000 parishes across the country.
U.S. Bishops Announce Push for Immigration Reform in 2010
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on January 6, announced steps to push for the enactment of immigration reform legislation in 2010. Bishop John C. Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City, Utah, and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, and Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, bishop of Albany, New York, and chairman of the International Policy Committee of the USCCB, made the announcement.
“It is our view, and that of others, that the American public, including the Catholic and other faith communities, want a humane and comprehensive solution to the problems which beset our immigration system, and they want Congress to address this issue,” said Bishop Wester.WASHINGTON— The Catholic Church worldwide will celebrate the 43th World Day of Peace on New Year’s Day. Pope Benedict XVI has chosen “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation” as the theme for 2010 celebration.
Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed Pope Benedict’s message for World Day of Peace (WDP) as he called on Catholics in the United States to work and pray for peace.
WASHINGTON—As leaders of nations and scientists were gathering in Copenhagen to figure out ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that have been linked to global warming, representatives from the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) held their third meeting to discuss Christian responsibility in caring for God’s creation.
WASHINGTON—The current health care reform bill is “deficient” and should not move forward without “essential changes,” the chairmen of three committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said December 22.
The chairs, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, of the Committee on Migration, stated their position in a December 22 letter to senators working to pass the Senate version of health reform legislation.
WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has acaccepted the resignation of Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, 75, from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Cincinnati. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, 61.
Health Reform Bill Needs More Work Despite New Language on Abortion, Say Catholic Bishops
WASHINGTON—The Senate health reform bill should not move forward in its current form, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City said December 19, as senators proceeded closer to a vote. Cardinal DiNardo chairs the bishops’ Committee on Pro-life Activities. Bishop Murphy chairs the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. Bishop Wester chairs the bishops’ Committee on Migration.
WASHINGTON—Responding to reports of a new “compromise” proposal on abortion in the U.S. Senate’s health care reform bill, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo today reaffirmed the position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the legislation will be morally unacceptable “unless and until” it complies with longstanding current laws on abortion funding such as the Hyde amendment. Cardinal DiNardo is Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and Chairman of the Conference’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
The mission of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is to support the ministry of bishops with an emphasis on evangelization, by which the bishops exercise in a communal and collegial manner certain pastoral functions entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus of sanctifying, teaching, and governing.
This mission calls the Conference to
