|
US & South Korean Bishops Call for Dialogue
|
|
|

Over the last several weeks, North Korea has conducted several test launches of long-range missiles that reportedly are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. In response, a number of U.S. officials have escalated threats of retaliation including military action. On August 10, Bishop Oscar Cantú sent a letter to Secretary of State Tillerson to urge support for South Korean President Moon Jae-in's peace efforts and to encourage dialogue. Bishop Cantú is chair of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace.
In his letter to Secretary Tillerson, Bishop Cantú emphasized that the "Catholic Church has long placed nuclear proliferation and warfare among the greatest threats to international security and peace. ... While the escalating threat of violence from the North Korean regime cannot be under estimated or ignored, the high certainty of catastrophic death and destruction from any military action must prompt the United States to work with others in the international community for a diplomatic and political solution based on dialogue. This crisis reminds us that nuclear deterrence and mutually assured destruction do not ensure security or peace. Instead, they exacerbate tensions and produce arms races as countries acquire more weapons of mass destruction in an attempt to intimidate or threaten other nations."
Bishop Cantú attached two documents to his letter to Secretary Tillerson: a July statement by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea and a report describing a May meeting between Pope Francis and Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. To read the entire letter and the two attachments, click here. |
|
Top
|
|
Stand in Support of DREAMers
|
|
|
The Dream Act of 2017, S. 1615, supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), was recently introduced in the Senate as a bipartisan effort to protect immigrant youth who entered the United States as children and know America as their only home. The bill offers qualifying immigrant youth "conditional permanent resident status" and a path to full lawful permanent residency and eventual citizenship. Send a message to your Senators here. |
|
Top
|
|
Save the Dates!
|
|
|

The annual Mass for Life will be held at Saint Martin's University on January 22, 2018, followed by the Washington March for Life in Olympia. And for those of you east of the Cascades, the NW Walk for Life will be on January 20, 2018, in Spokane. More details will be available in the fall. The next Catholic Advocacy Day will be held on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, in Olympia. |
|
Top
|
|
Social Ministry Gathering, 2018
|
|
|

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Catholic Social Ministry Gathering will take place in Washington, D.C., Sat, Feb. 3 through Tues, Feb. 6, 2018. Save the date! Participants in the Gathering learn the latest on key federal issues and then go to the Hill to meet with their U.S. Senators and Representative. It is a moving experience of living out our calling to be missionary disciples. Details will be available in the fall. |
|
Top
|
|
Video: Meeting of Popular Movements
|
|
|
Earlier this year the U.S. Regional World Meeting of Popular Movements, co-sponsored by the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and the PICO National Network, took place in Modesto, California. The convening brought together hundreds of faith and social justice leaders from various cultures and communities from across the United States, along with grassroots leaders from other countries. This was the first U.S. Regional convening organized in conjunction with three international world meetings that have taken place in Rome (in Oct. 2014 and Nov. 2016) and Bolivia (in Oct. 2015). The meeting called attention to important themes such as racism, migration, land, environmental justice, labor, and housing. A new USCCB video is available to help all U.S. Catholics continue to reflect on these themes and get involved. |
|
Top
|
|
"Share the Journey" Campaign
|
|
|

Pope Francis will launch a two-year "Share the Journey" Migration Campaign on Sept. 27, 2017, to increase support and solidarity for immigrants and refugees. The campaign is international; in the United States, it will be coordinated by USCCB Migration and Refugee Services, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), and Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Some materials are already available on the Justice for Immigrants website, with more added soon. USCCB, CCUSA and CRS will hold a webinar on Aug. 23 at 10:00 am PDT (Log-in here (on Aug. 23); Dial-in: 267-279-9000; Pin: 892211#) to share more details and discuss how your community can get involved.
Did a relative or friend forward this WSCC Catholic Advocacy Bulletin to you? Sign up for your own free subscription here.
Click here to view WSCC bulletins on our website. |
|
Top
|
|
|