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Let Us Gather at the Cross: USCCB Statement on Dallas Violence
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The following is a July 8 statement from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, who also serves as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):
"The assassination of Dallas police officers last night was an act of unjustifiable evil. To all people of good will, let us beg for the strength to resist the hatred that blinds us to our common humanity. To my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us gather at the Cross of Jesus. Our Savior suffered at the hands of humanity's worst impulses, but He did not lose hope in us or in His heavenly father. Love overcomes evil.
"The police are not a faceless enemy. They are sons and daughters offering their lives to protect their brothers and sisters. Jesus reminds us, "no one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (Jn 15:13). So too, the suspects in crimes or routine traffic stops are not just a faceless threat. They are members of our family in need of assistance, protection and fairness. When compassion does not drive our response to the suffering of either, we have failed one another.
"The need to place ever greater value on the life and dignity of all persons, regardless of their station in life, calls us to a moment of national reflection. In the days ahead, we will look toward additional ways of nurturing an open, honest and civil dialogue on issues of race relations, restorative justice, mental health, economic opportunity, and addressing the question of pervasive gun violence.
"Let us pray for the comfort of everyone affected and that our national conversation will bear the good fruit of healing and peace." |
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Troubling Jump in Assisted Suicides
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According to the Washington State Department of Health annual report, 166 people committed physician-assisted suicides during 2015. The total is a roughly 30% increase over the 126 people who died from assisted suicide in 2014. Since the legalization of assisted suicide in Washington, at least 651 people have committed assisted suicide in Washington State. The Department of Health reports may not provide adequate information for all of those who obtained a lethal prescription. Doctors are not required to report nor are there any penalties for failing to report. Furthermore, physicians are not required to be present when the person takes the lethal dose and rarely are. Of those who ingested a lethal dose in 2015, 100 of them had known the prescribing physician for less than six months. To read the assisted suicide report for 2015 and previous years, click here. |
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Abortion Limits Rejected by U.S. Supreme Court
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On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-3 ruling in the abortion facility medical standards case, Woman's Whole Health v. Hellerstedt. Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for pro-life communications at the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, reacted to the loss.
"The Court has rejected a common-sense law protecting women from abortion facilities that put profits above patient safety," McQuade said. "Abortion claims the lives of unborn children, and too often endangers their mothers, as well," she added. "This ruling contradicts the consensus among medical groups that such measures protect women's lives."
Here are some talking points to consider using when discussing the case with other people:
- This is a significant setback for both women's health and the pro-life movement.
- The Court has rejected a common-sense law protecting women from abortion facilities that put profits above patient safety.
- The law simply required abortion facilities to meet the same health and safety standards as other ambulatory surgical centers - standards like adequate staffing, soap dispensers, and basic sanitary conditions.
- Since the Court struck down the Texas law, sub-standard clinic conditions may remain in place, with no real back-up plan for women whose abortions have serious complications.
- Abortion is not mainstream medicine - indeed, it's not medical care at all, as it neither heals nor cures.
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Immigration Action Deferred
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Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, auxiliary bishop of Seattle and chair of USCCB's Committee on Migration said the June 23 immigration ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court was "a huge disappointment." The United States v. Texas decision leaves in place the November 2015 ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that affirmed a Texas District Court injunction. That ruling blocked President Obama's executive actions that would expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and create the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents program (DAPA). An estimated 5 million people could have potentially benefited from the two programs. The DACA expansion would have allowed a larger segment of people who came to the United States as minors to be granted deferral of deportation and a work permit. DAPA would have been a similar program for the parents of U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, offering some of the same benefits.
The Court deadlocked in a 4-4 tie and the matter will return to the federal trial court for further proceedings. The original DACA program is not affected by the injunction. Prior to the decision, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and 24 other U.S. faith-based organizations, who advocate or provide aid and resources to recent immigrants and their families, filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court. The brief stressed the public interest and humanitarian arguments for supporting the guidelines, explaining that the guidelines facilitate family stability and community participation.
The U.S. Bishops will continue to work for comprehensive immigration reform. To read the full statement from Bishop Elizondo, click here. |
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Pope: Constant Sensitivity to the Needs of Others
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On June 30, Pope Francis held a Special Jubilee Audience at the Vatican, using the text of Matthew 25:35-36 ("For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.") as a launching point. He said that mercy is not an abstraction or a lifestyle but concrete and practical. Provided by Vatican Radio, the following is an excerpt of the English language summary of the Holy Father's catechesis follows:
"Dear Brothers and Sisters: During this Holy Year of Mercy, we have not only considered the gift of God's mercy in itself, but also the works of mercy which we are called to practice as part of the Christian life. To paraphrase Saint James, we can say that mercy without works is dead. To be merciful like God our Father demands constant sensitivity to the needs, material and spiritual, of those around us. Jesus himself tells us in no uncertain terms that we will be judged by the mercy we show to the poor: those who hunger and thirst, the naked, the stranger, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:35-36). Particularly in our prosperous societies, Christians are called to guard against the temptation of indifference to the plea of so many of our brothers and sisters. In our rapidly changing and increasingly globalized world, many new forms of poverty are appearing. In response to them, may we prove creative in developing new and practical forms of charitable outreach as an expression of the way of mercy." |
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Date Set for 2017 Catholic Advocacy Day
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Good news: next year's Catholic Advocacy Day is scheduled for Thursday, March 16, 2017. Save the date, we hope to see you there!
Click here to view WSCC bulletins on our website.
The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) is the public policy voice of the Catholic Bishops of Washington State. |
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