Bishops: Loss of affordable health care with GOP plan ‘simply unacceptable’

Posted July 7, 2017 at 12:00 am

WASHINGTON (CNS) – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, in its analysis of the Senate health care bill, said late June 26 the measure would leave 22 million more people without insurance.

“This moment cannot pass without comment,” said Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

“Today, the Congressional Budget Office released a report on the ‘discussion draft’ of the Senate health care proposal, indicating that millions of people could lose their health insurance over time,” he said in a statement issued in response to the just-released analysis.

“As the USCCB has consistently said, the loss of affordable access for millions of people is simply unacceptable,” the bishop said,

… Read Full Story…
    travel ban photo'.jpg

    Partial travel ban worries bishops, Catholic groups

    WASHINGTON (CNS) – The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration said the country’s Catholic bishops are “deeply concerned” about the consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow a partial ban on foreign nationals as it reviews the constitutionality of a wider ban.

    “Today’s decision will have human consequences,” said Bishop Joe S. Vasquez, of Austin, Texas, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s announcement that in October it will hear a case involving President

    … Read Full Story…

    Roundtable says church must ‘recruit, empower’ diverse lay leaders

    ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS)  Over 100 Catholic leaders attending the Leadership Roundtable’s annual convening in Orlando said the church needs to go beyond “engaging laity” to “appointing, recruiting, promoting and empowering diverse lay leaders.”

    “This requires laity and ordained being in right relationship as co-responsible for the mission” of the Catholic Church, said the group in a statement released after the close of its June 29-30 meeting.

    The Washington-based National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management held its annual convening just

    … Read Full Story…

    Deportation feared as program protecting parents of citizen children ends

    WASHINGTON (CNS)  Advocates for immigrants expressed concern that millions of illegal alien parents of U.S. citizens and other permanent legal residents will be subject to deportation after Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly rescinded a memo that protected them.

    Kelly’s action June 15 revokes DAPA, or Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, a 2014 memo from President Barack Obama that protected law-abiding parents who are in the country illegally from deportation.

    It also follows through on

    … Read Full Story…
    Page 4 bishop sorondo story.tif

    Papal envoy impressed with spirit of Louisiana; to convey message to pope

    By Richard Meek

    The Catholic Commentator

    Bishop Marcelo Sanchez-Sorondo was silent, reflecting on what had been a whirlwind visit to Baton Rouge.

    Bishop Marcelo Sanchez-Sorondo, a top adviser to Pope Francis and the pontiff’s point person on human trafficking, speaks at the dedication of Metanoia Manor on April 26. Bishop Sanchez-Sorondo said he was impressed with the welcoming attitude of the people of

    … Read Full Story…
    Page 4 portgugese statue photo.tif

    Portuguese businessman sends free Fatima statues throughout world

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa – (CNS) Every time Jose Camara thinks his ministry is completed, somebody else needs a statue of Our Lady of Fatima to spread the devotion.

    Camara, a retired Portuguese businessman, has donated more than 1,000 of the statues, handmade in Fatima, to parishes around the world since January 2013. He even covers the cost of transport, including to South Africa, Madagascar, Australia and the United States.

    “I started out just over four years ago

    … Read Full Story…

    Georgetown University, Jesuits apologize for roles in sale of slaves

    WASHINGTON (CNS) – Georgetown University and the Society of Jesus’ Maryland province apologized April 18 for their roles in the 1838 sale of 272 enslaved individuals for the university’s benefit.

    More than 100 descendants attended a morning “Liturgy of Remembrance, Contrition and Hope” that the university created in partnership with descendants, the Archdiocese of Washington and the Society of Jesus in the United States.

    “Today the Society of Jesus, who helped to establish Georgetown University and whose leaders enslaved and

    … Read Full Story…

    Refugee ban draws mixed reactions

    WASHINGTON (CNS) – Within hours of President Donald Trump’s new executive order March 6 banning arrivals from six majority-Muslim nations, Catholic and other religious groups joined secular leaders in questioning the wisdom of such a move, with others vowing to oppose it outright.

    Bill O’Keefe, vice president for advocacy and government relations at Catholic Relief Services, said in a statement, “As the world’s most blessed nation, we should be doing more to provide assistance overseas and resettle the most vulnerable, not less. It is wrong, during this

    … Read Full Story…

    Cuomo, politician with complicated relationship with church, dies

    WASHINGTON (CNS) – While many tributes to former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo reference the impact of his 1984 keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, for many Catholics, it was a different speech the same year that defined his political legacy.

    Cuomo, who died Jan. 1 at age 82, served three terms as governor and was sought after as a possible candidate for president, though he never took the plunge.

    Those two 1984 speeches may well have helped define both why

    … Read Full Story…
Bla