September 6, 2019

Inside this issue

• CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly

  CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly  
  Congress is gearing up for a frenzied fall as lawmakers will be rushing to complete a hefty to-do list of legislative priorities before the end of the year. Chief among those will be finalizing appropriations.

Senate appropriators plan on attempting to advance up to four of the 2020 spending bills. They intend to mark up the draft Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Energy-Water and State-Operations bills next week. Those bills roughly make up a third of the 12 appropriations bills they will need to pass before the September 30th deadline. The House doesn't have as steep of a hill to climb, already passing 10 of its 12 appropriation bills. If the Senate and House can't come to an agreement they will need to pass stopgap funding to avoid a partial government shutdown.

It is anticipated that Congress will likely pass a continuing resolution lasting right up to Thanksgiving or early December. This will give Congress the needed time to come to a final agreement on appropriations.

Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian made landfall over the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Friday morning. The center of the Category 1 storm passed over Cape Hatteras on Friday morning while moving quickly northeast, according to the National Weather Service. The storm previously inflicted catastrophic destruction in the Bahamas, killing at least 30 people.

Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is actively working with our local agencies who are starting to be impacted by Hurricane Dorian. In addition to sharing the latest information and ensuring all agencies have taken the necessary measures to reduce loss of life and property, CCUSA is helping the agencies prepare to respond, post-landfall.  In partnership with Americares, CCUSA has ensured urgently needed relief supplies are pre-positioned and able to be deployed quickly to meet needs wherever they should present themselves, whether it be Florida, Georgia, South Carolina or North Carolina.

CCUSA is the official domestic relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church. If you would like to help support CCUSA in their disaster relief efforts you can donate here.

Faith and the Common Good Chris Zurawski was the first to correctly identify the city of Assisi in central Italy, Umbria, as the location of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, and it was consecrated in 1253.  It is also the city where Saint Francis was born and died. 

The basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built into the side of a hill and comprises two churches and a crypt, where the remains of the saint are interred. The Upper and Lower Churches are decorated with frescoes by numerous late medieval painters from the Roman and Tuscan schools.  The basilica is a distinctive landmark to those approaching Assisi. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000.

On July 16, 1228, Francis was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in Assisi and he laid the foundation stone of the new church the following day, although construction may already have begun. The construction having been begun at his order, the Pope declared the church to be the property of the papacy. On Pentecost on May 25, 1230, the remains of Saint Francis were brought in a solemn procession to the Lower Basilica from its temporary burial place in the church of San Giorgio (St. George), now the Basilica of Saint Clare of Assisi. The burial place was concealed for fear that St Francis' remains might be stolen and dispersed. The construction of the Upper Basilica was begun after 1239 and was completed in 1253. Both churches were consecrated by Pope Innocent IV in 1253.

On the morning of September 26, 1997, two earthquakes hit that region of Italy in rapid succession, registering 5.6 and 6.1 respectively on the Richter Scale. There was widespread devastation and many ancient buildings were destroyed or damaged. While a group of specialists and friars were inspecting the damage to the Basilica of Saint Francis, an aftershock shook the building, causing the collapse of the vault. Two Franciscan friars who were among the group and two of the specialists were killed. Much of the cycle of frescoes of the life of Saint Francis by Giotto in the Upper Church of the Basilica were slightly damaged whereas those of the sections of the vault which collapsed were almost entirely destroyed. The church was closed for two years for restoration.

The Canticle of the Sun
Most High, all powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor,
and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars, in heaven you formed them
clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through which
You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful
and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains us and governs us and who produces
varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord,
through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will
find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord,
and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
--St. Francis of Assisi
 
 Trivia Who was the first woman to serve in both the U.S. House and Senate?

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