Click here to urge Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and your US Representative to pass the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act.  Refugees from Afghanistan served as allies to the US during conflict, and now they need a pathway to permanent legal status.  More information is available via the action alert.

Thank you to the advocates who joined us at the annual Catholic Immigration Summit last month.  Videos of some of the presentations are available for viewing.  You are also invited to view this resource document with website links to learn more about immigration and how to help. Washington's members of Congress were invited to attend the town hall that concluded the summit, and we thank Representative Adam Smith for accepting the invitation and listening to the immigration concerns of the Catholic community.  The summit was conducted in his district.  We hope you can join us at next year's Catholic Immigration Summit!

Click here to urge Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and your US Representative to support the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). This act creates a new tax credit for donors contributing to education scholarship funds.  Families meeting income requirements would be able to apply for these scholarships in all 50 states.  The WSCC's Bishop Thomas Daly of the Diocese of Spokane is chair of the USCCB Committee on Catholic Education, and he wrote this letter of support for the ECCA.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, released this Labor Day statement promoting the welfare of working families. He called for a more just economy that promotes the welfare of working families.  The Child Tax Credit and Pregnant Workers Fairness Act are two policies that work toward this goal.  See the Action Alert below to urge Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.  The Labor Day statement also highlighted how women, especially women of color, earn less than their male counterparts, including when doing the same work with the same qualifications.  Read more of Archbishop Coakley's reflections here.

Click on this Action Alert to urge Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.  Highlighted in the recent USCCB Labor Day statement above, this act would make the workplace safer for pregnant workers by requiring employers to provide pregnant employees with reasonable accommodations such as chairs for jobs that require long periods of standing, being able to carry a bottle of water, and permission for additional breaks to use the restroom or drink water.

The USCCB established a new Do No Harm webpage highlighting federal regulations that undermine Catholic institutions and raise religious liberty concerns.  Topics range from contraceptive mandates to gender transition procedures to health care professionals' conscience rights. Visit the site to learn more and sign up to receive action alerts.

September 1 marked the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and the USCCB released this statement.  This date also marks the beginning of a month-long "Season of Creation."  This year's theme for the Season of Creation is "Listen to the voice of creation."  As you consider ways for you, your parish, and your community to care for creation, visit the Laudato Si' Action Platform to learn more.  Additionally, the Creation Care Network compiled this list of some of the Season of Creation events occurring around the state.

The monthly intention for September for Pope Francis's Worldwide Prayer Network calls for an end to the death penalty. Use this resource page from Catholic Mobilizing Network to learn more and access a toolkit to promote Pope Francis's prayer intention.

Election day is around the corner!  Click here to register to vote or update your voter information.  The 18-day voting period begins on October 21. Deposit your ballot by Tuesday, November 8 at 8 pm in an official ballot box, or be sure your ballot is postmarked by November 8 if sending it through the mail.  Contact your county elections department to locate official ballot box locations near you. The USCCB offers Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States, a teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics.  The publication includes Church teachings on numerous public policy issues, including respecting life, promoting peace, economic justice, immigration, racial justice, caring for creation, religious liberty, and more.  Additionally, as polarization permeates politics, the USCCB invites you to join their Civilize It campaign. Civilize It seeks "a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good," as Pope Francis calls for in Fratelli Tutti.

The 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is September 25.  Pope Francis' message to mark the day, "Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees," may be found here. Visit the USCCB's Justice for Immigrants website to learn more about Catholic Social Teaching on migration and the Church's work to advocate for immigrants.

You're invited to attend the virtual One River, Ethics Matter (OREM) Conference on September 27-28.  As the US and Canada negotiate the Columbia River Treaty, the OREM Conference seeks to inform negotiating teams while advancing public dialogue about water ethics and the past and future of the Columbia River. 

October is Respect Life Month, a time to build a culture of life, pray for the unborn, and serve mothers and families in need.  Access resources for individuals and parishes here.  Learn about accompanying and serving families in need through the Pregnancy and Parenting Support (PREPARES) program.  PREPARES is a nurturing response of the Catholic community in Washington state providing meaningful, local and sustainable support to mothers, fathers, and families as they nurture their children through pregnancy and early childhood.  Respect Life Month is also an opportune time to learn about and support local pro-life pregnancy resource centers in your area.

WSCC Staff

We invite you to contact us at any time.

Mario Villanueva, Executive Director

mario.villanueva@wacatholics.org

Adrienne Corpuz Joyce,   Director of Policy & Communications      

adrienne.joyce@wacatholics.org

Tracey Wilson Yackley, Operations Manager 

tracey.yackley@wacatholics.org

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