Catholic students from around the state gathered in Sacramento last week for the 11th Annual Catholic Youth Advocacy Day, where they met with lawmakers in the State Capitol to discuss pending legislation. 

More than 60 students spent weeks preparing for their meetings with members of the California State Assembly and Senate, where they used the lens of Catholic Social Teachings to guide their inquiry of bills they wanted to learn about. Samara Palko, the CCC Director of Education, held zoom meetings to share the bishops of California’s priorities of supporting women, children, and families to help students choose legislation to focus on.

“I was so impressed with this group of students – with their enthusiasm and the level of investigation and discovery they did on their own to learn about legislation currently moving through the halls of the Capitol,” said Palko. 

The students spent the morning of Catholic Youth Advocacy Day preparing for their meetings, followed by Mass at the Cathedral, which included a performance by the St. Francis of Assisi Elementary choir. The students then continued their day by meetings with over 20 legislative offices.

“This was such a successful event, and we are already looking forward to next year,” said Palko. 

On Wednesday afternoon, March 29, Pope Francis was taken to Gemelli Hospital in Rome. 

Reports followed that Pope Francis has a respiratory infection and will remain in the hospital for several days. Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement regarding the Holy Father: 

“As Pope Francis recovers in the hospital from a respiratory infection, we pray intensely for our Holy Father. On behalf of my brother bishops, I invite all the faithful to pause, if possible before the Blessed Sacrament, and pray for his speedy recovery. May our dear shepherd and all those in need of healing experience the comfort of Christ.”

Almost 200 participants were online for the launch of The Shalom Project, a program envisioned by the late Bishop David O’Connell, which is meant to bring the peace of the Gospel back to people in the post-COVID era. 

The initial webinar can be found here in English and Spanish. The program will continue in May. 

Bishop O’Connell often referred to COVID as the “era of loneliness” and was working on launching The Shalom Project when he was tragically murdered in his home last month. 

“[Bishop Dave] was a man of peace and was called to the Lord in anything but a moment of peace.  He particularly wanted this project, the Shalom Project, to be based on the gospels so that people would feel very, very safe,” said Bishop Armando Ochoa during the live event. “He felt that this zoom method that we are sharing this evening could allow people, who for a thousand and one different reasons weren’t ready to come back physically into in-person kind of situations, to give them a safe place from which to share.”

For more information, contact Debbie McDermott at [email protected]. 

Protect our pregnancy centers! AB 315 would create a private right of action, allowing any person to sue a pregnancy center for “false or misleading advertising” about abortion that is undefined. We agree that advertising about abortion should be transparent and not misleading. But the background information on this bill calls pregnancy centers “fake clinics,” and it will force transparent, exemplary centers to shut down due to frivolous lawsuits. Pregnancy centers in California provide $14.2 million in free services for hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable California families. They offer free medical care, social service referrals, and material assistance. If you have a story about being helped by a pregnancy center or the work you have done to help a pregnancy center, please share it with your representative to let them know that pregnancy centers are essential in your community.

Raise your voice for pregnancy centers. 

Urge your legislator to vote no on AB 315.

According to childhelp.org, each day, between four and seven children tragically lose their lives to child abuse in the U.S., and a report of abuse is made every 10 seconds. There are instances of abuse, neglect, and child trafficking in every city across America.

Since 1983, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has dedicated April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, when communities should rededicate themselves to support families, play an active role in preventing child abuse and neglect, and take positive action to promote child and family well-being.

Childwelfare.org’s 2023/2024 Prevention Resource Guide is designed to help service providers and organizations in every community strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The Resource Guide focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. There is also a conversation guide to help service providers have personalized conversations with families about the six protective factors.

Click here to learn the signs of child abuse and what to do if you suspect abuse.

Your participation is vital in this month-long campaign. Every child is worth the effort.

The Vatican has released the Pope’s Holy Week and Easter schedule, and we ask all to pray that the Holy Father is recovered in time for the week of events. 

The schedule includes Mass on Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square and the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday.  

Click here for the full schedule. 

We at the California Catholic Conference wish you a blessed and holy Easter.

"He is not here; he has risen..." - Luke 24:6