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U.S. Justice Department Settles HHS Mandate Cases
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 This week the U.S. Justice Department settled their dispute with the entities that had sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prevent implementation of the Obama-era contraceptive mandate. The settlement brings to a close the lawsuits filed on behalf of over seventy different entities, including the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Catholic Charities of St. Louis.
The settlement represents final legal relief from the litigation after the Trump administration issued new regulations that granted broader religious exemptions to the mandate last week. Read more about this issue in this Crux article. |
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Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Tell How Church Helps Them Survive
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 Syrian Christians fleeing to Lebanon tell of how they couldn't survive their disrupted lives without the assistance of the local Church. Displaced by ISIS militants that have destroyed their homes, conscripted their sons, and threatened to sexually assault their daughters, displaced Christian refugees are finding it necessary to rebuild their lives in neighboring Lebanon. Read more in this Crux article. |
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Pope Francis: The Death Penalty is Contrary to the Gospel
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 In an Oct. 11th address, Pope Francis declared that the death penalty is "contrary to the Gospel." He said that "however grave the crime that may be committed, the death penalty is inadmissible because it attacks the inviolability and the dignity of the person."
The remarks came in a speech to a large gathering of cardinals, catechistsc, ambassadors and other religious on the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism, affirming that there has been a development of doctrine in the Church. The Pope's comments and the timing of them suggest that a revision of the Catechism of the Catholic Church may be forthcoming to reflect this new development in the Church's understanding. |
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Will U.S. Senate Vote on Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act?
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 On October 2, 2017, the U.S. House passed the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act by a vote of 237-189. The next day, the bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further action where it remains today.
The bill would effectively outlaw abortion after 20 weeks, a point at which an unborn child will recoil and experience an increase in the release of stress hormones when subjected to painful stimuli. By comparison, Missouri law currently outlaws abortion when an unborn child is viable and can survive outside the womb (usually between 20-24 weeks) viability being the point at which abortion is banned.
The U.S. Senate Republican majority of 52 is not sufficient to block a filibuster, which requires 60 votes, so a vote on the bill on the Senate floor is unlikely to succeed. Whether the bill will be taken up for an up or down vote remains to be seen. Stay tuned. |
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CASA Helps Abused and Neglected Children
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Abused and neglected children often don't trust adults and wonder where to turn for help. Missouri has a special program that enlists volunteers who provide support and guidance as these children seek safe and permanent homes. The Missouri Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program is operating in 22 of Missouri's 45 judicial circuits. Thousands of children are helped by CASA each year. Watch this CASA video for more.
CASA depends on many volunteers but the program also has professional staff assessing the needs of children at one of the 16 child assessment centers located in Missouri. These agencies receive financial help from an income tax credit now available under state law. The tax credit encourages charitable giving to these centers but the credit is slated to end at the close of 2019 unless the Missouri General Assembly reauthorizes it. Legislation to re-authorize this credit may be filed in the 2018 session. Stay tuned. |
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U.S. Bishop Tells of How His Family Members Witnessed the "Miracle of the Sun" at Fatima
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 New York Auxiliary Bishop Dominic J. Lagonegro told Mass goers this weekend about how his uncle and aunt were visiting Portugal and witnessed the "Miracle of the Sun" on October 13, 1917 in Fatima. As the story goes, they happened to be in Portugal visiting family when they heard the story of the visionaries and how they were expecting a great miracle. They journeyed to Fatima in a downpour and arrived at the field soaking wet. They witnessed the sun dancing in the sky and were rendered completely dry, as were the muddy grounds by the time the sun retreated back into the heavens. For more on this story, click here. |
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41st Respect Life Convention to be Held in St. Louis on Sunday, Oct. 22
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 The 41st Respect Life Convention will be held in St. Louis on Sunday, Oct. 22, at the St. Charles Convention Center. The event's activities include Mass, a keynote address, and several engaging pro-life workshops. This year's keynote speaker is John Foppe.
Born without arms, John Foppe understands firsthand the difficult gaps between envisioning an outcome and achieving it. He once believed he led a miserable, dependent, and limited existence. At 10-years-old, for example, he couldn't put his own pants on. Today, he operates his own company, travels the world, runs a large non-profit agency, and he is a husband and father.
In 1995, John launched a successful corporate motivation business, Visionary Velocity Worldwide, that has taken him to over 25 countries, pro-football organizations like the Miami Dolphins, and to Fortune 500 clients such as Boeing, GE, and State Farm and international companies such as Fortis, ST Microelectronics, and UniCredit. He is the author of "What's Your Excuse? Making the Most of What You Have," which has been translated into six foreign languages.
In the non-profit world, John has put his leadership and motivation skills to work helping the less fortunate by earning a masters degree in Social Service from Saint Louis University and serving as the Executive Director of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul - St. Louis Council.
Registration has closed for this event, but you can still attend Mass in the morning and the free educational workshops in the afternoon. For more information, please visit the Archdiocese of St. Louis' website, or call 314.792.7555. |
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The Missouri Senate has posted a new webpage that offers young students lots of information about state government, legislative processes and Show-Me State facts and history, along with some games and puzzles. Check out