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This week lawmaker's attention remained on passing appropriations, the presidential determination for refugees, and Catholic Charities USA hosted their Annual Gathering.
On Thursday the Senate passed a short term spending bill to keep the government funded past the September 30th deadline. The measure passed the House last week, cleared the Senate chamber by an 82-15 margin, and the bill now moves to President Trump for his signature. The stopgap funding bill will keep the lights on through November 21st to allow lawmakers to final appropriations for FY 2020. If Congress and the administration fail come to consensus by the November deadline then the federal government faces the possibility of a shutdown.
President Trump choose to continue decimating the refugee program with the announcement that the administration would accept a maximum of 18,000 refugees over the next 12 months. The new limit is a decrease from last year's 30,000 and fractional compared to 110,000 limit set in 2016. The administration is predetermining which refugees will be eligible by reserving 4,000 slots for Iraqis who worked for the U.S. military, 1,500 for people from Central America, and 5,000 for people persecuted for their religious beliefs. The remaining 7,500 slots are set aside for people attempting family unification and vetted for resettlement.
The short sided decision eliminates program flexibility for people fleeing war and persecution to the opportunity to resettle in the United States. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) President and CEO, Sister Donna Markham spoke out against the decision saying "the U.S. must remain a beacon of hope to people who feel forgotten and abandoned by the world and maintain its status as a leader of policy for all nations to follow." You can read the full statement here.
Catholic Charities USA Annual Gathering
Catholic Charities leaders from across the country descended on Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Catholic Charities USA Annual Gathering. The gathering provides an opportunity for people across the Catholic Charities ministry to share best practices on how to reduce poverty and celebrate their shared identity. The theme for this year's gathering was "Bold Ideas Create Great Change."
To inspire continued innovation and change CCUSA announced a $1 million innovation challenge. The challenge provides Catholic Charities agencies the opportunity to share their big ideas to reduce, alleviate and end poverty. Agencies will compete among similar sized agencies for three prizes of $333,333. The winners will be announced at next year's CCUSA Annual Gathering in Cleveland. If you are a Catholic Charities agency with a big idea and want to compete you can learn more by clicking here.
Here are a few photo highlights from the gathering:
Faith and the Common Good
As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we look to recognize the contributions and vital presence of both Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States. So our trivia question presented a learning moment as we are presenting two winners. Patty Repikoff identified Patrick Flores as the first Hispanic bishop in the U.S. Many sources name him as the first Hispanic bishop in the U.S. We also received a response from Stephen Palmer who identified Fr. Juan Suarez, OFM who was appointed bishop of the territory of Florida in 1527.
According to the work of Thomas K. Murphy's writing in The Florida Catholic, Fr. Juan Suarez, OFM. Suarez was one of five friars and several secular priests in an expedition headed by Panfilo de Narvaez to explore and colonize the new Spanish possession of La Florida. Fr. Suarez had been appointed bishop of the territory, and his first contact with the land was at present-day St. Petersburg on Holy Thursday, April 14, 1528. The exact location is known today as Narvaez Park on the western edge of the present city of St. Petersburg. Suarez, according to Murphy, became America's first bishop, beating out Archbishop John Carroll by 262 years.
Bishop Patrick Flores was born in 1929 to Patricio and Trinidad Fernandez de Flores, American migrant workers, in Ganado, Texas. In October 1969, Flores joined forty-seven other Hispanic priests to establish PADRES, Padres Asociados para Derechos Religiosos, Educativos, y Sociales (Spanish for "Priests Associated for Religious, Education, and Social Rights"), an organization meant to draw attention to Hispanics in the church and society.
On May 5, 1970, he was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Luigi Raimondi. He was appointed auxiliary to the archbishop of San Antonio. Also in May 1970, Flores was appointed chairman of the Texas State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and that July he became national chaplain for the League of United Latin American Citizens. In 1972, he was co-founder and honorary chairman of the Mexican-American Cultural Center in San Antonio, now known as the Mexican American Catholic College.
In 1978, he was appointed bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso and then in 1979 the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio, which was, at the time, the largest ecclesiastical province in the United States.
In 1980, Flores became a member of the Hispanic Caucus Committee, and in 1981, he founded Catholic Television of San Antonio, the first diocesan television station in the United States.
Prayer from Inter-faith memorial service at the Basilica of the Little Flower
God of perfect cause, violence and cruelty can have no part with you. May those who are at peace with one another hold fast to the good will that unites them; may those who are enemies forget their hatred and be healed. Awaken in our hearts the attributes you love best, and help us to be merciful, compassionate, forgiving, truthful, just, and patient with each other and with those around you. Let there be peace among us, among all peoples, changing the world one person at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time, one world. Make us worthy to be counted in the community of your beloved. May we rejoice in your mercy and praise you without end.
Bishop Patrick Flores, September 11, 2002, Inter-faith memorial service at the Basilica of the Little Flower
World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2019
For this year's World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis has chosen the theme "It is not just about migrants" to ensure that no one remains excluded from society, whether a long-time resident or someone newly-arrived. You can read his message here.
The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees since 1914. It is always an occasion to express concern for many different vulnerable people on the move; to pray for the challenges and increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers.
There are also materials to download, use and share. Click here to find them.
Respect Life Month
Respect Life Month begins next week. The 2019 theme is "Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life." Click here for resources.
Trivia
Who is the James Beard award-winning chef who started World Central Kitchen?
Please send your answers to socialpolicy@catholiccharitiesusa.org
Please share the weekly with your friends, family and networks so that we can build a movement of solidarity for those most in need!
You can also access advocacy opportunities through our advocacy and policy page.
Stay connected with our work to end poverty, follow us on Twitter at @CCharitiesUSA.
If you would like to help further Catholic Charities' commitment to alleviating, reducing, and preventing poverty you can contribute here.
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