Nov. 17, 2020 — Annapolis, MD
New! Catholic Health Care Planning
Video
Who will make decisions about your medical care if you get very
sick or are nearing the end of your life?
Our new one-hour on-demand webinar will walk you through
Catholic teaching, health care directives, and understanding options
such as hospice or palliative care from experts who include Rev.
Michael DeAscanis, STL; attorney Shannon Hammond; and nurse
practitioner Joan Panke.
Watch the video plus get a Catholic-friendly advanced directive
(available in English and Spanish) for use in Maryland, resources on
Catholic teaching, tips for talking with your family about your
wishes, and more at mdcatholic.org/endoflife.
Maryland Launches COVID Contact Tracing
App
As the number of COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths are
rising, the state, local governments, health care entities and
ministries are working to reduce infections. Today, Governor Larry
Hogan announced
new precautions. These include 50 percent capacity for religious
institutions, suspended hospital visits, and additional restrictions
on bars, restaurants and other entities.
Last week, the State of Maryland released a new mobile phone app to
assist with contact tracing. Instructions to activate the app, privacy
information and more is here.
The app will notify you if you may have had exposure to someone who
has COVID-19.
Whether or not you download the app, if you see a call coming in
from “MD COVID,” the call is from a public health contact tracer
alerting you to possible exposure. Please note: contact tracers will
NOT ask for money, credit cards or other personal
information. For information on COVID in Maryland, visit the Department
of Health Coronavirus website.
Legislative Session Will Look Very
Different
Empty House and Senate chambers may be the new normal for the
upcoming General Assembly, which opens Jan. 13. Both the House and
Senate have prepared detailed safety plans in light of the
pandemic.
Plans include facility enhancements and cleaning, Covid testing
(members anticipate being in Annapolis), virtual hearings, and limits
on in-person public access that include appointments, a two-person
visitor limit and escorts to meetings.
These plans may change based on the situation. Learn more:
“The Maryland Catholic Conference staff is prepared to adapt to the
new precautions,” said Executive Director Jenny Kraska. She noted, “We
already have been attending hearings and meeting with legislators via
video conferencing and have submitted testimony electronically during
pre-session hearings earlier this fall. We also are adding text alerts
to our Catholic Advocacy Network to make it easier for parishioners to
participate in sharing their voice.”
In addition to text and email alerts, a Catholic Virtual Lobby Day
will be held during the session. Look for details in January.
New! Get
Text Action Alerts During Session
You now can receive action alerts by text or email (or both) during
the legislative session. Sign up or update your preferences with the
Catholic Advocacy Network.
To sign up for text alerts, text CATHOLIC to
443-764-8765. You will receive a reply asking for your name,
and then your zip code so we can tailor alerts for you to reach your
legislators.
You also can visit our advocacy
alert sign up page for email and/or text alert sign ups.
Looking
Ahead
Consistory for New Cardinals
Cardinal-designate Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop of Washington and
a member of the Maryland Catholic Conference Board of Governors,
departed for Rome today to attend the consistory at which he will be
elevated to the College of Cardinals. He left early for the Nov. 28
event so he could quarantine. He sent this message via Twitter:
Cardinals serve until age 80 as papal electors and also as special
advisors to the Pope. The Archdiocese
of Washington and Catholic
Standard will have updates, and Vatican
News will have a video link of the consistory. Please keep
Cardinal-designate Gregory and the other new Cardinals in your
prayers.
Thanksgiving Prayer
Finally, as we prepare for Thanksgiving next week, please be
healthy and safe. Our staff will keep you and your families in prayer.
While many of us will not be with our families this year as usual, we
continue to have much to be grateful for and invite you to join us in
this traditional Catholic prayer of thanksgiving:
Lord, we thank you
for the goodness of our people
and for the
spirit of justice
that fills this nation.
We thank you for the beauty and fullness of the
land and the
challenge of the cities.
We thank you for our work and our rest,
for one another, and for
our homes.
We thank you, Lord:
accept our thanksgiving on this day.
We
pray and give thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
JOIN THE
CATHOLIC ADVOCACY NETWORK
The Catholic Advocacy Network gives you a voice on important issues
in Maryland. Learn more and join our network.
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