ICYMI: CCC Opposes Irresponsible Expansion of Assisted Suicide

Last week, the California Catholic Conference announced that it is vehemently opposed to SB 1196, the proposed bill that would expand the definitions for eligibility and eliminate residency requirements for those seeking suicide options from their physicians. 

“SB 1196 eliminates all of the potential ‘safeguards’ that were originally put into place when the End of Life Option Act was initially approved,” said CCC Executive Director Kathleen Domingo. “We’ve already seen that the state has not lived up to its promise to record data for those utilizing this terminal method. Now, this new bill will expand the definition of those who qualify for aid-in-dying drugs to include those without a terminal prognosis and those with psychological suffering.” 

“Most critically, by allowing dementia patients access to life-ending drugs, it opens up incredibly vulnerable people to the possibility of coercion or worse,” she said. 

SB 1196 extends the law to patients without a terminal prognosis but with a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” that causes “physical or psychological suffering” and includes people with early to mid-stage dementia, a condition that on its own does not cause death. It also removes the current California residency requirement. 

“SB 1196 puts vulnerable patients at risk and violates the trust of fellow legislators who initially voted in favor of the Act because it was narrowly written and contained a sunset date,” Domingo said. 

The Conference also pointed out that the death penalty is rightly not applied to people with a cognitive disability to protect the vulnerable. Yet, SB 1196 puts lethal drugs into the hands of those who are not incarcerated but can potentially have the same capacity issues. 

“Suicide rates in California continue to skyrocket in vulnerable communities. At a time when CA is reeling from medical and mental healthcare scarcities, introducing a bill inviting a vast population to consider suicide is like adding gasoline to a wildfire,” Domingo said. 

Please keep watch for email alerts to guide you in contacting your lawmakers and let them know you oppose this bill as it moves forward. 

CCC’s First Education Summit Successfully Elevated School Choice Collaborations in CA 

CA Conference: School Choice is Social Justice

Educators, political advocates, and national experts gathered this month in Oakland to brainstorm how to bring educational choice to all California families.

“This fight is essential. It is critical. It is about social justice for the working poor,” said San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantú, chair of the California Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops.

The first-ever conference sponsored by California’s bishops aimed to build a political movement to give every California family the economic ability to send their children to the private, parochial, or public school of their choice.

No state offered universal school choice funding four years ago—today, ten states do. Thirty-two states have passed some form of school choice legislation, said Peter Murphy, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist for Invest in Education. Louisiana’s governor says educational freedom is his top priority, said Nathan Sanders of Ed Choice. South Carolina has universal school choice, he said, and Idaho and Michigan are thinking about it.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

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 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.

Few low-income Californians Claiming Free College Savings Account Money

Despite the fanfare surrounding its launch in August 2022, the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS), a state initiative to help children from low-income families save money for college or a career, has been underutilized because eligible families lack awareness about its existence. 

According to a March 6 announcement from CalKIDS, 300,000 students and families — a fraction of the 3.6 million eligible across the state — have accessed the state-funded account.

That translates to about 8.3% of eligible students statewide with similar low percentages locally, which Devon Gray, president of the advocacy organization End Poverty in California (EPIC), said illustrates the gap between a program run by the state and local implementation. 

CalKIDS is meant to help families save for college or career training after high school by creating a savings account and depositing between $500 and $1,500 for eligible low-income students in the public school system. The program was created to help students, especially those from underserved communities, gain access to higher education. 

USCCB Calls for Prayer In Light of Abortion Pill Supreme Court Hearings

On March 26, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that has the potential to make a significant impact on the widespread accessibility of chemical abortion (abortion pills). 

Chemical abortions are now the most common form of abortion in the United States. The case is in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) promoting the availability of chemical abortion while ignoring risks to women and violating federal law. 

In short, the FDA has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry and turned neighborhood pharmacies into chemical abortion providers. While the Supreme Court case is not about ending chemical abortion, it can restore limitations that the FDA has overridden. When a Supreme Court decision is released, probably in June, we ca

When a Supreme Court decision is released, probably in June, we can expect a public and political reaction similar to the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. 

Pope’s Holy Week Schedule  

The Vatican has released the Pope’s Holy Week and Easter schedule.

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. 

Rejoice! 

During this Holy Week, let us rejoice in the miracle of Easter and in the love of Christ, who has conquered death and brought us eternal life. The CCC wishes you blessings and joy as you celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. 

“Yes, Christ is truly risen, and we are witnesses of this. We proclaim this witness to the world, so that the joy which is ours will reach countless other hearts, kindling in them the light of the hope which does not disappoint.” — St. John Paul II, 2000