North Dakota Catholic Conference

Restore Ban on Public Funding of Abortion in D.C.!

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-14T21:07:49-05:00

Every year since 1989 (except for Fiscal Years 1994 to 1996), Congress has approved the Dornan Amendment to prevent the use of all congressionally appropriated funds for elective abortion in the District of Columbia. ... 8, Congress has responsibility to appropriate all funds for the District. The funding bill that covers D.C. is the Fiscal Year 2010 Financial Services Appropriations Bill (H.R. ... The House Appropriations Committee has reported out this bill with language that reverses the Dornan Amendment. The restriction on abortion funding would no longer apply to all funds appropriated under the act, but only to the “federal” funds, leaving the “local” funds available to pay for elective abortion. H.R. 3170 could be considered on the House floor as early as Wednesday, July 15. In a letter to the House, Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, argued that this narrowing of the ban to cover only “federal” funds is a bookkeeping exercise: “The impact in terms of human lives will be exactly the same as if the amendment were reversed in its entirety.” He noted that while some may try to defend this action as an aspect of “home rule” for the District, in fact some bans on the use of local District funds for other purposes remain intact in the bill. In reality, this action is about public funding for abortion, and presumably is “the first step in a broader effort to restore such funding throughout the federal government.” Cardinal Rigali concluded his letter by urging Representatives to oppose any effort to enact the bill without restoring current law on D.C. abortion funding. ...Please contact your Representative immediately! ACTION: Please contact Representative Earl Pomeroy by e-mail or phone. Representative Earl Pomeroy Washington: United States House of Representatives ...Fargo: Telephone: (701) 235-9760 rep.earl.pomeroy@mail.house.gov MESSAGE: “Please vote against the Financial Services Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3170, if it does not restore the ban on all public funding of elective abortions in the District of Columbia. Funding abortion will not reduce but greatly increase the number of abortions.” WHEN: The House could vote on H.R. 3170 as early as Wednesday, July 15. ...Find out more and download the Action Alert!

New Caritas in Veritate Action Guide from USCCB

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-14T16:45:22-05:00

A new document from USCCB contains suggestions for parishioners on how to respond to the call of Caritas in Veritate. It is reproducible and appropriate for parish bulletins.

Missed it? Try again!

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-14T16:43:33-05:00

Interview on Caritas in Veritate to be rebroadcast Saturday, July 18 at 2:00 p.m. Listen at AM 1370 or AM 1280, or listen on-line at http://www.youram1370.com/.

New Resources for Caritas in Veritate

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-14T16:10:21-05:00

Check them out here.

Radio Show to Highlight Caritas in Veritate

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-09T14:48:24-05:00

North Dakota Catholic Conference executive director Christopher Dodson will appear on Real Presence Catholic Radio Monday, July 13 to discuss Caritas in Veritate with host Tanya Watterud. The segment is scheduled for the 10:00 a.m. hour. Listen at AM 1370 or AM 1280, or listen on-line at http://www.youram1370.com/.

Health Care Reform Update from Catholic Health Association

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-09T14:45:05-05:00

Hospital Groups Announce Reform Agreement Catholic Health Association President and CEO Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, joined Vice President Joe Biden and representatives from the American Hospital Association and Federation of American Hospitals at the White House July 8 to announce agreement on financing provisions for health reform legislation still being developed in Congress. The agreement, worked out in negotiations between all three hospital groups, the Administration and the Senate Finance Committee, outlines $155 billion in spending reductions and delivery system reforms over ten years to help support legislation to cover an estimated 95 percent of the population. The agreement represents a substantial reduction from the amount of payment cuts originally proposed by the Administration and also protects hospital payments until there is significant new coverage of the uninsured. In announcing the agreement, the hospital representatives noted that disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments would not be reduced until 2015, and reductions would only occur if coverage expansions actually took place. The agreement also maintains the current community benefit standards for not-for-profit hospitals rather than establishing any new charity care benchmarks. Even with this development, the Senate Finance Committee still has not finalized the reform legislation and is not expected to do so for at least another week. Outstanding issues include whether to include a public insurance option in the bill, and issues around taxation of employer-sponsored health benefits. Meanwhile, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee continued to consider amendments to its health reform bill, adding long-term care provisions to the bill this week after the Obama Administration urged their inclusion in the final legislation. The HELP Committee bill contains measures outlined in the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, supported by CHA, and the provisions added this week would establish a voluntary long-term care insurance program to assist adults who are unable to perform two or more daily living activities. The "Tri-Committee" legislation in the House is expected to be finalized at the end of the week, and mark-ups are scheduled to begin next week.

Mark Your Calendars!

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-08T11:42:03-05:00

The North Dakota Catholic Conference will hold its annual Healthcare Workshop October 15, 2009 at St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, ND. The topic of this year's workshop is Healthcare Reform. The workshop will feature presentations from Jeff Tieman, Senior Director of Health Reform Initiatives at Catholic Health Association, and Christopher Dodson, Executive Director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference. Registration for this event will begin September 1st and materials will be made available within the next few weeks.

Cardinal Criticizes Final NIH Guidelines for Destructive Stem Cell Research

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-07T16:07:37-05:00

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, reacted today to final guidelines for human embryonic stem cell research issued yesterday by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The text of his statement follows: “In April I criticized the NIH’s draft guidelines for destructive embryonic stem cell research, saying that under these guidelines ‘federal tax dollars will be used to encourage destruction of living embryonic human beings for stem cell research – including human beings who otherwise would have survived and been born.’ “The final guidelines issued yesterday are even broader. Parents who are asked to consider having their embryonic children destroyed for research will not even have to be informed about all their other options – only about the options that happen to be available at their particular fertility clinic. Moreover, under the final guidelines, stem cell lines that existed previously or that are produced in foreign countries may be made eligible for federally funded research even if they were obtained in ways that violate one or more of the NIH's own informed consent requirements. “The comments of tens of thousands of Americans opposing the destruction of innocent human life for stem cell research were simply ignored in this process. Even comments filed by the Catholic bishops’ conference and others against specific abuses in the draft guidelines were not addressed. For example, federally funded researchers will be allowed to insert human embryonic stem cells into the embryos of animal species other than primates; federal grants will be available even to researchers who themselves destroyed human embryos to obtain the stem cells for their research. Existing federal law against funding research in which human embryos are harmed or destroyed is not given due respect here. “This debate now shifts to Congress, where some members have said even this policy does not go far enough in treating some human beings as objects to be created, manipulated and destroyed for others’ use. I hope Americans concerned about this issue will write to their elected representatives, urging them not to codify or further expand this unethical policy.” ...For more information about the USCCB’s “Oppose Destructive Stem Cell Research” campaign, visit www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign. Cardinal Rigali’s April 21 statement on the draft guidelines is at www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-087.shtml. The USCCB’s official comment letter of May 22 is at www.usccb.org/prolife/NIHcomments.pdf.

Resources on New Encyclical

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-07T15:04:29-05:00

Commentators will use the internet and printed press to weigh-in on the Pope's new encyclical during the next few days and weeks. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has developed its own site with information about Caritas in Veritate here. Be sure to return since more material will be added.

Cardinal George Welcomes New Encyclical

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-07T12:03:36-05:00

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI’s new encyclical, provides helpful guidance for finding answers to the social, economic and moral questions of the contemporary world in a search for truth. He commented July 7, when Pope Benedict issued to the world a letter that analyzes the current global economic crisis in light of traditional moral principles. The letter affirms the progress that has been made in world development yet notes that other challenges exist given newly emerging problems in the global society. The encyclical offers sound reflections on the vocation of human development as well as on the moral principles on which a global economy must be based. It challenges business enterprises, governments, unions and individuals to reexamine their economic responsibilities in the light of charity governed by truth. This third encyclical of Pope Benedict’s papacy, Caritas in Veritate is a call to see the relationship between human and environmental ecologies, and to link charity and truth in the pursuit of justice, the common good and authentic human development. In doing so, the pope points out the responsibilities and limitations of government and the private market, challenges traditional ideologies of right and left and calls all men and women to think and act anew. As Pope Benedict noted the world’s current financial straits, he declared that “the current crisis obliges us to re-plan our journey, to set ourselves new rules and to discover new forms of commitment, to build on positive experiences and to reject negative ones. The crisis thus becomes an opportunity for discernment, in which to shape a new vision for the future.” (Italics in document)

Caritas in Veritate

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-07T08:15:58-05:00

It's here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html

Brush Up on Your Encyclicals

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-06T09:37:39-05:00

In preparation for tomorrow's much anticipated release of Pope Benedict's new social encyclical, the USCCB has posted a social encyclical primer, looking at key social encyclicals throughout history.

Celebrate Independence Day and Help Reform Health Care

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-07-02T09:08:42-05:00

A call to action from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

The Virtue of Fortitude and Lawmaking

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-30T14:11:18-05:00

The third in a series on the cardinal virtues and the making of public policy.

Cardinal Protests Move to Fund D.C. Abortions

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-30T14:08:05-05:00

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote to members of the House Appropriations Committee today urging them not to fund abortions in the District of Columbia. Last week the House subcommittee considering the Financial Services appropriations bill for 2010 voted to permit direct public funding of abortion in the nation’s capital. Cardinal Rigali said that the subcommittee’s action “effectively nullifies the Dornan amendment,” which for a total of 18 years has prevented public funding of elective abortions in the District. He said this move, “presumably the first step in a broader effort to restore such funding throughout the federal government,” is misguided for three reasons. “First, public funding of abortion is rejected by the American people, as numerous surveys of public opinion have shown,” Cardinal Rigali said. He also noted that Catholics recently sent “tens of millions of postcards to their elected representatives in Congress, opposing…any weakening or reversal of current appropriations riders on abortion.” “Second, no lawmaker or Administration can support such a policy change and still claim to support ‘reducing abortions.’ The evidence is overwhelming, and universally recognized by groups on all sides of the abortion issue, that the availability of public funds for abortion greatly increases abortions,” the bishops’ Pro-Life Committee Chair argued. “Third, this action takes place as Congress is working to win broad support for a much-needed major reform of our health care system,” Cardinal Rigali noted. “This is the worst of all possible times to be injecting the divisive issue of public abortion funding into the debate on government health policy.” Cardinal Rigali concluded by urging the full House Appropriations Committee to reverse the subcommittee’s action and retain the funding ban in current law. The full text of his letter is available at: www.usccb.org/prolife/Rigali-DornanAmendment-2009.pdf.

Bishops, Catholic Health Care, Unions find Common Ground on Respecting Rights of Health Care Workers

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-23T09:56:11-05:00

Unprecedented Dialogue among Leaders of Catholic Health Care, Labor and Bishops leads to ‘Guidance and Options’ on new ways forward on applying Catholic Teaching in workplace WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), along with leaders from Catholic health care and the labor movement, released “guidance and options” for creating a fair process for health care workers to decide whether or not to form a union. Outlined in a new document entitled Respecting the Just Rights of Workers: Guidance and Options for Catholic Health Care and Unions, the principles reflect a unique and ground-breaking consensus between Catholic health care employers and unions and are the result of a dialogue that began more than a decade ago. The document can be found on the USCCB Web site at: www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/respecting_the_just_rights_of_workers.pdf The three-way dialogue was initiated by the USCCB in an effort to find common ground on alternative approaches for carrying out Catholic social teachings on the rights of workers to freely choose whether or not to be represented by unions. “Though they had different perspectives and points of view in many areas, the participants shared the conviction that it is up to workers—not bishops, hospital managers, or union leaders—to decide how they will be represented in the workplace,” said Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who chaired the dialogue. “This remarkable dialogue produced an unprecedented agreement because of the principles of Catholic social teaching and the quality of the leaders involved.” The new Guidance and Options document offers seven key principles for appropriate conduct by both employer and union representatives that will help ensure that employees are able to make an informed decision without undue influence or pressure from either side. The document suggests that unions and employers agree, in writing, on the specific ways they will: ... • provide workers with equal access to information from both sides, ... • allow workers to vote through a fair and expeditious process, ... • create a system for enforcing these principles during the course of an organizing drive. “This approach depends on civil dialogue between unions and employers focusing on how the workers’ right to decide will be respected,” said Bishop William Murphy, Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and a dialogue participant. “By placing workers at the center of the process, the group affirmed the core of Catholic Social Doctrine.” Guidance and Options does not bind individual bishops, hospitals or unions. Rather it offers principles and practical alternatives for leaders of Catholic health care and unions who want to avoid the tension and conflict that often accompanies organizing drives. More than 600,000 employees work in nearly 600 Catholic hospitals nationwide. It took more than two years to reach agreement on the new principles, which build on the recommendations of an initial working paper issued in 1999 by the USCCB Subcommittee on Catholic Health Care and Work. In December 2006, the USCCB reconvened leaders of Catholic health care and unions to develop additional, practical guidance for achieving the recommendations in the original “A Fair and Just Workplace” paper. “Because Catholic Health Care is a ministry not an industry, how it treats its workers and how organized labor treats Catholic Health Care are not simply internal matters, but should reflect Catholic teaching on work and workers, heath care and the common good,” said Cardinal McCarrick.

CHA Project: I Can't Wait for Health Care Reform

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-22T09:58:21-05:00

A new video from the Catholic Health Association: Learn more about the Catholic Health Association's commitment to health care reform at: www. OurHealthCareValues.org Go here for more on the bishops' position on health care reform.

FCC releases report on Broadband Strategy for Rural America

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-15T14:13:50-05:00

From NCRLC: While the country made the complete switch this weekend from analog to digital broadcast television, many parts of rural America are waiting for broadband services. Michael J. Copps, Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman, has released a report concluding that all rural Americans must have the opportunity to benefit from broadband services. It provides a starting point for developing policies on extending broadband to rural areas. The report can be read at http://wireless.fcc.gov/outreach/index.htm? job=broadband_home

Affordable Health Insurance Elusive in Rural America

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-15T14:09:34-05:00

From NCRLC: Family farmers and ranchers are considered small business owners and do not qualify for competitive health insurance rates. You can hear the challenges faced by Iowa farmer Linus Solberg in a story that aired this past weekend on National Public Radio. You will also hear from Larry Harbour, an entrepreneur and rural small business owner in Nebraska. Larry is one accident away from losing it all. Insurance would cost his family at least $24,000 per year, so he and his wife go without. Small business is the backbone of rural America, and Center for Rural Affairs Research Director Jon Bailey reports in the story that if you work for or own a small business, you are more likely to have inadequate health insurance, or none at all.

Help for Immigrants -Yes Same-Sex Agenda - No

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-02T14:28:22-05:00

BISHOPS SUPPORT FAMILY REUNIFICATION SENATE BILL, NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT SIMILAR HOUSE LEGISLATION WASHINGTON—Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, expressed the Committee’s support for the Reuniting American Families Act (S. 1085) introduced May 20. He did so in a June 2 letter to Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ). The Act proposes reforms to the family-based immigration system that would allow immigrant families to more quickly reunite in the United States. “Family reunification has represented the cornerstone of the U.S. immigration system, and should remain its central tenet in the future,” Bishop Wester said. He stressed that the United States “should resist proposals which would erode the family-based immigration system.” ... Bishop Wester emphasized the importance of ensuring that the nuclear family stays together. “It is extremely important that barriers that keep the nuclear family—husband, wife and child—divided are removed as soon as possible,” he said, adding that S. 1085 “achieves this goal.” Bishop Wester also issued a second letter indicating that the bishops’ Committee on Migration is not supporting similar legislation in the House. In a June 2 letter to Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Bishop Wester wrote: “As you know, the USCCB supported H.R. 6638, similar legislation that you introduced during the 110th Congress. Unfortunately, however, while the bishops support many of the provisions in the Reuniting Families Act, your decision to include in the bill the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), which would provide marriage-like immigration benefits to same sex relationships, makes it impossible for the bishops to support this year’s version of your bill.” Bishop Wester noted that UAFA “would erode the institution of marriage and family” and called it “a position that is contrary to the very nature of marriage which pre-dates the Church and the state.” Consequently, he indicated that the Committee is instead offering its strong endorsement to the Senate version. Among other provisions, S. 1085 would enable the immediate relatives (husbands, wives, and children) of legal permanent residents to legally enter the country more quickly; recapture family visas from prior years that were lost to bureaucratic delay; reduce family-visa backlogs from sending countries; and ensure that the widows and orphans of legal permanent residents are able to remain in the United States. Bishop Wester also said that “Positive changes in the family-based immigration categories, such as those included in S. 1085, should be a central feature of any comprehensive immigration reform effort.”

Death of Charlene Crommett

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-01T17:30:26-05:00

Charlene Crommett, age 55, died on Saturday, May 30, 2009. Charlene had worked in the Pro-Life Office of the Diocese of Fargo and was a member of the North Dakota Catholic Conference's Holiness of Human Life Committee. Visitation is tonight from 5 pm to 7 pm, with a prayer service at 7 pm, at Fredrikson Funeral Chapel in Kindred. The funeral Mass will be at 2 pm on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at St. Maurice’s Church in Kindred. May our Lord grant her eternal rest and comfort her family and friends.

U.S. Bishops Express "Profound Regret" About Shooting Death of Abortion Doctor

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-06-01T17:29:38-05:00

WASHINGTON—Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, expressed profound regret upon learning of the shooting death of abortion doctor George Tiller. "Our bishops' conference and all its members have repeatedly and publicly denounced all forms of violence in our society, including abortion as well as the misguided resort to violence by anyone opposed to abortion," Cardinal Rigali said. "Such killing is the opposite of everything we stand for, and everything we want our culture to stand for: respect for the life of each and every human being from its beginning to its natural end. We pray for Dr. Tiller and his family."

USCCB Submits Proposal to NIH on Stem Cell Guidelines

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-22T14:31:13-05:00

WASHINGTON—The National Institutes of Health (NIH) missed “an enormous opportunity to show how sound science and responsible ethics can not only co-exist but support and enrich each other,” said Msgr. ... Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in comments on draft guidelines to authorize federally funded human embryonic stem cell research. ... The Conference has also provided a convenient way for other concerned citizens to submit comments to the NIH on this issue, by visiting the Web site www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign. ...Malloy cited the dignity of human life at every stage and the innate human right not to be subjected to harmful experimentation without one’s express and informed consent. He said laws that fail to recognize this right “do not succeed in nullifying the right in question, but only call into question their own moral legitimacy.” ...Malloy higlighted the “central fact of science” relevant to the issue of embryonic stem cell research, that the embryo that will be destroyed to obtain embryonic stem cells “is a human being at a very early stage of his or her development.” This is not a matter of religious belief, he said, but a fact acknowledged by federal advisory groups on this issue, including the National Bioethics Advisory Commission appointed by President Clinton. This group concluded that because human embryos deserve “respect” as a form of human life, destroying them for stem cells is “justifiable only if no less morally problematic alternatives are available for advancing the research.” ...Malloy added that alternative methods of stem cell research, such as reprogramming ordinary adult cells into “induced pluripotent stem cells” (iPS cells) without harming human life, have made great advances under a federal policy preventing researchers from destroying live human embryos for federally funded research. “Yet President Obama’s executive order of March 9 not only rescinded that policy, but also rescinded the executive order of 2007 instructing the NIH to thoroughly explore new avenues for obtaining pluripotent stem cells without destroying human embryos,” Msgr. ...Malloy said the President’s executive order and the draft guidelines fail the Bioethics Commission’s test, “by failing to require that morally unproblematic avenues for exploring important medical research goals be thoroughly investigated before the NIH considers any avenues that require destroying embryonic human life.” ...In fact, human patients suffering from all the conditions cited by President Obama when he signed his executive order – cancer, juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, heart disease – have been shown in peer-reviewed studies to benefit from clinical trials using human stem cells,” he said. “And in every case, the benefit has come not from embryonic stem cells, but from the adult and cord blood stem cells that this organization and others have said should receive priority attention.” ...Malloy expressed relief the proposed guidelines do not seek to fund research in which embryos are created for the purpose of research, but explained how “in key respects the Guidelines are nonetheless broader or more permissive than any policy approved in the past by any branch of the federal government..” He also asked the Obama Administration to “make a clear and authoritative statement, as the Clinton Administration did, that it will never fund research that relies on the creation of human embryos for research purposes.” ...In fact, these sources of guidance both point in the same direction, away from destructive embryonic stem cell research. His executive order and these Guidelines nonetheless insist on a course of action that is both morally objectionable and, increasingly, scientifically obsolete.” Noting that prominent stem cell researchers have recently expressed their own moral misgivings about destroying human embryos for research, Msgr. Malloy concluded, “This is not merely a political or ideological problem, or a problem of religious dogma, but a deeply human problem: We are testing the limits of our obligation to treat all fellow human beings, of every age and condition, with basic respect.” The full text of the comments to NIH regarding the draft guidelines can be found online at www.usccb.org/prolife/NIHcomments.pdf.

Bishops Renew Call for Health Care Reform

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-22T14:29:16-05:00

WASHINGTON—Expressing hope that the current dialogue would bring about real reform, Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y. offered the U.S. bishops’ principles and criteria for health care reform in a May 20 statement to the Senate Committee on Finance’s Roundtable Discussion on “Expanding Health Care Coverage.” On May 21, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent letters expressing the same message to the House, Senate and White House. Bishop Murphy, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Social Justice and Human Development of the USCCB, noted that the bishops “have been and continue to be consistent advocates for comprehensive health care reform leading to accessible and affordable health care for all,” renewing the bishops’ long-term support for health care reform. Saying it involves fundamental issues of human life and dignity, Bishop Murphy called health care a “critical component” of the ministry of the Catholic Church. “The Church provides health care, purchases health care and picks up the pieces of a failing health care system,” Bishop Murphy said. “The Catholic community encounters and serves the sick and uninsured in our emergency rooms, shelters and on the doorsteps of our parishes. One out of six patients is cared for in Catholic hospitals. We bring strong convictions and everyday experience to the issue of health care.” Bishop Murphy added that Congress should continue the federal funding prohibition on abortions and noted that, “No health care reform plan should compel us or others to pay for or participate in the destruction of human life.” Bishop Murphy further stated, “To preserve this principle is morally right and politically wise as well. No health care legislation that compels Americans to pay for or participate in abortion will find sufficient votes to pass.” He offered on behalf of the U.S. bishops, principles and criteria for health care reform. These included respect for life, priority concern for the poor, access for all, comprehensive benefits, equitable financing, pluralism and freedom of conscience. Noting that the U.S. bishops look forward to working with Congress on this issue, Bishop Murphy added, “Health care is a social good, and accessible and affordable health care for all benefits both individuals and the society as a whole. The moral measure of any health care reform proposal is whether it offers affordable and accessible health care to all, beginning with those most in need. This can be a matter of life or death, of dignity or deprivation.” The full text of Bishop Murphy’s statement is available online at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-05-usccb-health-care-statement.pdf.

New Web site views economic crisis through lens of Catholic faith

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-22T10:03:35-05:00

WASHINGTON—In response to the current economic crisis and its moral and human impacts, a new USCCB Web site has been developed to better share Catholic social teaching on economic life and how it can shape the responses of Catholics to the economic crisis. Catholic Teaching on Economic Life (www.usccb.org/jphd/economiclife) features the ten-point “A Catholic Framework for Economic Life,” which is downloadable in handout form. The Web site is sponsored by the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The site includes statements on economic life from both the U.S. bishops and Pope Benedict XVI and the Holy See, ideas for parishes, stories of groups responding to the crisis, prayer guides, Podcasts, videos, and even an interactive quiz. The site also features a database of information on issues related to the crisis, including health, housing, labor, and trade. All resources are designed for practical use on the parish level for making sense of the economic crisis. Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee of Domestic Social Justice and Human Development, outlined a central theme in a letter to the nation’s leaders: “This crisis involves far more than just economic or technical matters, but has enormous human impact and clear ethical dimensions which should be at the center of debate and decisions on how to move forward. Families are losing their homes. Retirement savings are at risk. People are losing jobs and benefits. Economic arrangements, structures and remedies should have as a fundamental purpose safeguarding human life and dignity.” "Our hope is that Catholics across the United States can use these new resources to understand the economic crisis in the light of Church teaching on economic life. One of the central themes of this teaching is that the dignity of the human person always comes first. This is a message of hope in tough economic times,” said John Carr, Executive Director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development. To view the new Web site, go to www.usccb.org/jphd/economiclife.

North Dakota to Set Up Health Care Directives Registry

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-18T16:17:07-05:00

It is the result of SB 2237. Read about it here. Learn more about health care directives.

Midwest Rural Assembly

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-18T09:50:31-05:00

From NCRLC: Midwest Rural Assembly set for August 10-11 Sioux Falls, South Dakota As a sponsoring organization, NCRLC is excited about the Midwest Rural Assembly happening August 10-11 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This regional meeting will build on the policy work of the National Rural Assembly and link grassroots groups and community leaders with members of Congress and USDA staff. This is also an opportunity to share information and strategies to advance a sustainable rural development agenda for the greater Midwest region. FYI: Besides a sponsoring organization of the Midwest Rural Assembly, NCRLC also participated in last summer's National Rural Assembly. That Assembly's founding document, the Rural Compact, and its Policy Opportunity Snapshots (pdf) have helped to raise both the visibility and the volume of our grassroots efforts with Congress and the new Administration.

Most Americans Pro-Life

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-15T12:38:17-05:00

A new Gallup poll shows that for the first time since 1995 most Americans consider themselves "pro-life." The results should not surprise those who have paid attention to the trend in recent years toward a culture of life. See the Gallup poll results here.

The Fight for Education - Story from the Plains

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-15T11:51:04-05:00

Like the families in D.C., the families of the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota also face obstacles when it comes to education. Check out this story on St. Anne's Catholic School.

The Fight for Education - Story from D.C.

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-15T11:47:29-05:00

The families of Washington, D.C. are in a tough political fight to preserve the nation's only federally-funded voucher program -- a successful program by all accounts. Check out and share this must-see video about their struggle for education.

Bishops Issue Statement on First Anniversary of Postville Enforcement Actions, Continue Call for Immigration Reform

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-11T16:01:10-05:00

WASHINGTON—To commemorate the first anniversary of the Postville, Iowa, immigration worksite enforcement action, Bishop John C. Wester, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration released a statement recalling the humanitarian cost of such actions and calling, once again, for the reform of our nation immigration policies. “My brother Catholic bishops and I understand and support the right and responsibility of government to enforce law,” said Bishop Wester. “We strongly believe, however, that worksite enforcement raids do not solve the challenge of illegal immigration. Instead they lead to the separation of U.S. families and the destruction of immigrant communities. ” Bishop Wester called families to pray for “those hurt by the raid and to work for comprehensive immigration reform so that others will not face similar pain and cruelty in the future.” “The Postville action of a year ago is a disturbing reminder of the need to repair the nation’s broken immigration policies,” said Bishop Wester. Read Bishop Wester’s statement.

BISHOPS URGE CATHOLICS TO CONTACT CONGRESS AND NIH: OPPOSE DESTRUCTIVE STEM CELL RESEARCH

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-09T16:26:41-05:00

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a new “Oppose Destructive Stem Cell Research” campaign today, equipping citizens to contact Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to oppose embryonic stem cell research and support ethical cures and treatments “we can all live with.” The campaign is facilitated by the USCCB’s partner organization, the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. Following President Obama’s March 9 executive order, the NIH proposed guidelines for federally funded research that will require destroying live human embryos for their stem cells. The draft guidelines are open for public comment through May 26. The campaign homepage, www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign, summarizes why the proposed guidelines are unacceptable, provides links to USCCB resources (including the bishops’ statement “On Embryonic Stem Cell Research” and multi-media resources and ads), and encourages web users to “Contact Congress & NIH Now” through an e-mail interface. Several resources are available in both English and Spanish. The campaign site explains that the NIH guidelines “would—for the first time—use taxpayer funds to encourage the killing of embryonic human beings for their stem cells.” It continues, “Embryonic stem cell research treats innocent human beings as mere sources of body parts, as commodities for our use.” The webpage features a video of Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, critiquing the draft guidelines. “The Catholic bishops of the United States will be writing to Congress and the Administration about the need to restore and maintain barriers against the mistreatment of human life in the name of science, and we urge other concerned citizens to do the same,” Cardinal Rigali said. Catholics and other citizens are urged to contact both NIH and Congress because members of Congress and the Administration have expressed interest in pursuing an even broader policy. “They want to obtain stem cells by destroying human embryos specially generated for research through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or cloning procedures – a ‘create to kill’ policy,” the campaign page explains. Those who want to call for stem cell research and cures “we can all live with” may speak out by visiting www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign and clicking on “Contact Congress & NIH Now.”

Legislative Session Finished

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-05-09T16:24:59-05:00

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly has finished its work. That does not mean, however, that there will not be more work to do. Federal issues will need our attention as well as the implementation of state laws passed during the just concluded session. Stay tuned.

Action Alert: SCHIP

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-24T08:34:14-05:00

Contact Your Representatives and Ask them to Help North Dakota's Children -- Vote Yes on HB 1478 The North Dakota House of Representatives will soon vote on HB 1478 which would expand the current State Children's Health Insurance Program. A conference committee met today on the bill, and we need to urge Representatives to support the Conference Committee report, which expands the program to cover children of the working poor who do not have health insurance up to 200% of the federal poverty level. When: Contacts are needed Immediately in support of this effort. Message: Please support the Conference Committee report on HB 1478. When: Immediately. Who: North Dakota Representatives Where: 1-888-NDLEGIS (635-3447) or 701-328-3373 (local) or e-mail at the address listed at the Legislative Council website.   More information on contacting your legislators.  

No Voice at the Table?

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-20T13:26:13-05:00

North Dakota Legislative Assembly to nonpublic schools: • You can’t open a school without state approval; • We will tell you what subjects you must teach; • All of your teachers and principals must be licensed by the state; Oh, and one more thing -- you can’t have a seat at the table when it comes to deciding the future of North Dakota’s educational system. That is apparently the view of some legislators who are resisting allowing a representative from nonpublic schools to sit on the new North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement - even as a nonvoting member. The commission is part of the massive House Bill 1400, a major overhaul of the state's education system. The Senate Appropriations Committee saw the justice involved and added a nonvoting representative from the nonpublic schools to the commission. Some legislators, however, oppose having any nonpublic representation on the commission. Contact HB 1400's conference committee members and urge them to support including a nonpublic school representative on the Commission for Education Improvement. ...Layton Freborg,R-Underwood (lfreborg@nd.gov); ...Tim Flakoll, R-Fargo (lflakoll@nd.gov) Sen. Ryan Taylor, D-Towner (rtaylor@nd.gov) Rep. RaeAnn Kelsch, R-Mandan (rkelsch@nd.gov) Rep. John Wall, R-Wahpeton (jwall@nd.gov) Rep. Phil Mueller, D-Valley City (pmueller@nd.gov)

Governor Signs Abortion, Human Trafficking Bills

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-13T11:56:13-05:00

On April 8, Governor Hoeven signed into law: • SB 2265, which requires a notice to be posted at abortion facilities informing women of the right not to be coerced into an abortion; and • SB 2209, which prohibits human trafficking.

New Poll Shows Strong Support for Conscience Rights

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-09T07:42:31-05:00

WASHINGTON—A nationwide poll conducted on March 23-25 found that 87 percent of adults surveyed believe it is important to “make sure that healthcare professionals in America are not forced to participate in procedures and practices to which they have moral objections.” Conducted by the polling company™, inc. /WomanTrend on behalf of the Christian Medical Association (CMA), the survey also showed majority support even among self-identified “pro-choice” respondents for the two-month-old conscience protection regulation now at risk of being rescinded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Deirdre McQuade, spokeswoman on abortion at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), welcomed the data and urged HHS to keep the current regulation in place. “The Obama administration has moved to rescind a vital HHS regulation protecting the conscience rights of health care providers,” McQuade said, “But according to this new survey, the majority of Americans—whether ‘pro-life’ or ‘pro-choice’, male or female, Republican or Democratic—support the regulation and oppose its rescission.” The survey summary and methodology are available at www.freedom2care.org. The Freedom2Care Coalition is an ad hoc coalition organized by the CMA to defend the conscience rights of health care professionals and students. The USCCB and Freedom2Care are helping Americans voice their support for the regulations by midnight April 9 when the public comment period draws to a close. To date, a total of over 73,000 e-mail messages have been sent to HHS through Freedom2Care.org and the USCCB’s e-mail campaign facilitated by its partner organization, the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. “Only one day remains to defend the existing regulation,” McQuade explained. “I urge all concerned citizens to e-mail HHS and pray for the protection of conscience rights.” The USCCB has advocated for the strongest possible protection for conscience rights since the current regulation was first considered in the summer of 2008. For additional resources, including links to the e-mail campaign and bi-lingual YouTube videos of medical professionals and USCCB president Cardinal Francis George, visit: www.usccb.org/conscienceprotection.

Dear Prudence . . .

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-05T14:31:20-05:00

New column posted on the virtue of prudence in lawmaking.

Senate Passes Pro-Life Legislation

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-03T18:27:08-05:00

The North Dakota Senate passed two bills and a resolution concerning abortion. HB 1445, which requires that before a woman consents to an abortion she is informed that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being, passed 34 to 11. HB 1371, which requires that a woman be given an opportunity to view an ultrasound before consenting to an abortion, passed 44 to 1. HCR 3015, which expresses the Legislative Assembly's opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act, passed by a voice vote.

House Defeats Threat to Religious Liberty

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-03T18:25:29-05:00

The state House of Representatives defeated SB 2278, which would have added sexual orientation to the state’s Human Rights Act without adequately protecting religious liberties. The vote was 34 to 54.

Action Alert! Women Deserve the Truth II

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-04-01T18:39:07-05:00

Now is the time to call or email your state senator and express your support for HB 1445, which requires that before a woman consents to an abortion she is informed that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being. The Senate Judiciary Committee gave HB 1445 a Do Pass recommendation. The bill now goes to the Senate floor for a final vote. Message: Please vote Yes on House Bill 1445, women deserve to know the truth about abortion. Who: North Dakota Senate When: Now. The Senate could vote on HB 1445 as early as Monday, April 6. Today, Friday, April 3 Where: 1-888-NDLEGIS (635-3447) or 701-328-3373 (local) or e-mail at the address listed at the Legislative Council website. More information on contacting your legislators.

Urgent Action Alert: Religious Liberty Threatened by Sexual Orientation Bill

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-30T17:01:14-05:00

SB 2278 would add “sexual orientation” to the North Dakota Human Rights Act, giving sexual expression and sexual activities protected status under the law. The proposal raises troubling religious liberty concerns for churches as employers and providers of educational and social services, and to all individuals whose religious beliefs do not condone homosexuality or other sexual acts outside of marriage. Tell your state representatives not to discriminate against you and your religious beliefs. Ask them to vote NO on SB 2278. (Read more on why SB 2278 threatens religious liberty.) Message: Please protect our religious liberties and vote NO on Senate Bill 2278. ...The House will likely vote on it as soon as they come back from the flood/blizzard recess. ...Where: 1-888-NDLEGIS (635-3447) or 701-328-3373 (local) or e-mail at the address listed at the Legislative Council website. ... More information on contacting your legislators. ...Why Does Senate Bill 2278 Threaten Religious Liberty? ...Senate Bill 2278 adds “sexual orientation” to the North Dakota Human Rights Act, making it a protected class under the law in matters of employment and public accommodations. The definition of sexual orientation is ambiguous enough to extend to sexual acts and expressions. Public accommodations includes most services, including private education, rental of church and school meeting rooms, and use of Knights of Columbus halls. Many people and religious bodies do not approve of homosexuality and other sexual activities outside of marriage. Senate Bill 2278, however, does not protect churches or employers from being forced to violate their religious beliefs. Doesn’t the bill have religious exemptions? At first glance, SB 2287 appears to exempt religious entities, but a closer look reveals that the exemptions are not exemptions at all. Only one of the “exemptions” applies to matters involving sexual orientation and it is so narrowly drawn that it only applies to employment for “religious positions.” It does not apply to other personnel, such as school employees, and it does not apply at all to public accommodations. The other “exemptions” thrown into the bill do not apply to matters involving sexual orientation. In short, Senate Bill 2278 contains no real protection for religious entities from claims of discrimination based on sexual orientation (which includes sexual activities), whether it be in employment matters or public accommodations.

Catholic News Stories About Flood Response

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T19:56:46-05:00

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php? n=15513 http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php? n=15512 http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0901409.htm http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20090327.htm#head12 http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0901430.htm

Blessing against Floods

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T14:56:23-05:00

National Catholic Rural Life Conference provides the following Blessing against Floods from the Rural Life Prayerbook: ...(The priest accompanied by the people carries a relic of the Holy Cross with which to bless the stream or river. There he devoutly reads, facing in turn the four directions, the beginnings of the four Gospels, and after each Gospel adds the following prayers:) ...Help us, God, our salvation. ...And free us because of the glory name. ...Save Your servants. ...Those who hope in You, my God. ...Lord, do not act with us as our sins would demand. ...Nor repay us according to the measure of our evils. ...Send us help, Lord, from the holy place. ...And from Sion protect us. ...Lord, hear my prayer. ...And let my cry reach up to You. ...The Lord be with you. ...And with your spirit. ...O God, You make the wicked man just, and You do not desire the death of the sinner. Your servants have confidence in Your mercy. We humbly beg Your majesty that You will, by Your heavenly aid, kindly shield us from the dangerous waters, and preserve us by Your continued care, so that we may always gladly serve You, and by no temptation be separated from You, through Christ our Lord. ...And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, descend upon these waters, and keep them within bounds. ...(And it is sprinkled with holy water.)

Some More Flood News

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T12:59:22-05:00

The parishes of Holy Spirit, St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Anthony’s and Nativity are outside of the evacuation zones, otherwise known as city high ground. Sts. Anne and Joachim, the pastoral center and Shanley/Sullivan school off of 52nd Ave S. are all in one of the evacuation zones, but built on a spot higher above the surrounding area. Currently, the area is protected by the city’s levees, but with the new possibility of a 43’ river crest, much is unknown. Some sandbagging has been done around windows and doors as a precaution. The Bishop Aquila’s house is also higher elevation of the projected crest, even if the levee’s don’t hold. Power and water may be cut off, though. Cardinal Muench Seminary has had its levee built up by the Army Corps of Engineers, but was partially evacuated Thursday afternoon for precautionary reasons. The Presentation Sisters in Fargo have a large levee in their backyard, but 6 of the infirm have been transferred to Valley City and many of them are going to evacuate as a precaution. ...Rosewood, Villa Maria and Riverview have all been evacuated for precautionary reasons. Many of them are being transferred to Maryvale in Valley City, which will be taking in up to 47 people. ...In Wahpeton, the Carmelite sisters have evacuated and are in Hankinson with the Franciscans. St. John’s made it through ok. ...Enderlin experienced some flooding in town with the Maple river, but the parish is ok.

Frei's Lose Home

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T12:55:53-05:00

Director of Education for the Fargo Diocese, Tom Frei and his wife, Tracey lost their home to flooding yesterday. This video clip tells their story. Tracey is a former board member of the North Dakota Catholic Conference.
Watch CBS Videos Online

Protecting Conscience Rights in Health Care: Our Voice is Needed!

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T10:51:21-05:00

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is inviting public comment on a proposal to rescind an important federal regulation issued in December. The regulation implements and enforces three federal laws protecting the conscience rights of health care providers, especially those at risk of being discriminated against because of their moral or religious objection to abortion. The Catholic community must speak out to protect Catholic doctors, nurses and hospitals. Additional Information & Conscience Protection Resources

Bishop Zipfel asks for prayers and assistance for those affected by flooding

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T10:13:18-05:00

My dear sisters and brothers in the Lord: Hour by hour we are receiving information about the rising flood waters touching the families, homes and communities in various parts of our state. Linton, Beulah and Hazen in our diocese have been among the first communities to be struck. Some people have already been evacuated from their homes. We must all turn in prayer to God that He will protect us in this difficult time. Stories of people who are offering themselves to assist their neighbors in need are both encouraging and uplifting. "Anything you did for one of my brothers here, however humble, you did for me." For all who are suffering due to the flood waters, let us ask for God's protection and grace. Through it may we grow in our love for God and each other. Your shepherd, Bishop Paul Zipfel (icon of St. Gregory the Wonderworker, patron for protection against floods)

Flood Message from Catholic Charities

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-27T10:08:20-05:00

In these times of uncertainty, you can be assured that Catholic Charities North Dakota is assisting with flood fighting efforts and preparing to respond to the needs of those affected by the flooding and winter storms currently occurring throughout the state of North Dakota. Disaster Management staff are monitoring the situation, together with the state and local response groups formulating our agency's role in the process. ...* Catholic Charities North Dakota is currently assisting with finding volunteers to help with the sandbagging effort and working with other agencies to fill volunteer needs. Once the threats associated with the flooding and storms pass, CCND will continue to respond to the needs of people in the affected areas through several means. * A Disaster Response officer with Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) has been deployed to North Dakota. Joe Mahoney, Program Officer for CCUSA Disaster Response Office, arrived in North Dakota just in time to witness the intensity of the flood fight in eastern North Dakota and the serious flooding coupled with heavy snow in the central and western parts of the state. On Monday, Catholic Charities USA began working side-by-side with Catholic Charities North Dakota staff to help implement Disaster Response for the Diocese of Fargo and Diocese of Bismarck. Once the threat of weather and flooding has passed, assessment teams will identify unmet needs in communities. * Counseling Services are available to everyone regardless of religious affiliation. If you see someone in your community in need of counseling, please have them get in touch with our nearest office. How can your parish help? · Urge volunteers to form groups to volunteer to assist in the community. Contact Colleen (chardy@catholiccharitiesnd.org ) or Joan (jedwards@catholiccharitiesnd.org ) or call 1-800-450-4457 to learn more about volunteer opportunities. · If residents in your parish have been affected, please let us know what their needs are. We will have funds available to assist these families. · Donate to the Disaster Response effort at Catholic Charities North Dakota at www.catholiccharitiesnd.org or send donations to our office at Catholic Charities North Dakota 5201 Bishops Blvd. , Suite B Fargo, ND 58104

Update on Various Bills

ndcatholic@btinet.net — 2009-03-26T15:28:21-05:00

The bill goes to the House floor for a final vote next week. ... While the Catholic Church condemns arbitrary discrimination and prejudice against a person because of sexual attraction, the North Dakota Catholic Conference opposes this bill for several reasons. ...Contact your Representatives and urge them to vote “No” on SB 2278. Let them know you do not condone unjust discrimination because of sexual attraction, but that SB 2278 is a bad bill. ...Contact your Representatives and urge them to vote “Yes” on SB 2283. ... Received a favorable recommendation from the Human Services Committee, but the full Senate still has to vote on it. Contact your Senator and urge him or her to vote “Yes” on HB 1371. ... Received a favorable recommendation from the Human Services Committee, but the full Senate still have to vote on it. Contact your Senator and urge him or her to vote “Yes” on HCR 3105. House Bill 1445 - Woman told before abortion that the act will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being. The bill is still in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will probably act on it early next week. The North Dakota Catholic Conference does not send out action alerts until a committee completes action on the bill. You may contact the Judiciary Committee and urge them to support HB 1445 without amendments. ... The bill is still in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will probably act on it early next week. The North Dakota Catholic Conference does not send out action alerts until a committee completes action on the bill. You may contact the Judiciary Committee and urge them to support the Catholic Conference’s proposed amendments to HB 1572. ... The Human Services Committee restored the Governor’s recommendation to expand coverage to 200% of the federal poverty level. ...The North Dakota Catholic Conference does not send out action alerts until a committee completes action on the bill. You may contact the Appropriations Committee and urge them to support funding the Children’s Health Insurance Program to at least 200% of the federal poverty level. ...1-888-NDLEGIS (635-3447) or 701-328-3373 (local) or e-mail at the address listed at the Legislative Council website.