"Let us Pray Together for Christian families around the world; may each and every family embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives." - Pope Francis

This week, the California Catholic Conference of Bishops released the following statement regarding the introduction of a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights in California: 

“The California Catholic Conference vehemently opposes Senate Constitutional Amendment (SCA) 10, which looks to enshrine the most extreme forms of abortion into the California Constitution. We believe in protecting life at every age in every stage. We are extremely troubled by the language in SCA 10, which is so broad and unrestrictive that it would encourage and protect even late-term abortions, which most Californians oppose. We also fear the boundless scope of this proposed amendment, which asserts a new constitutional right to ‘reproductive freedom’ but does not define what that means.

“This constitutional amendment, as written, will legalize and protect abortion up to the point just prior to delivery. It is distressing that so many California legislators would sign their names to legislation that allows the taking of a human life moments before birth.  In this regard, SCA 10 would more closely align California with the extreme abortion policies of only a few countries rather than the majority of western democracies, which do not allow late-term abortions.

“The sad reality is that California already has some of the most accommodating abortion laws and services in the nation.  And by providing extensive funding for abortion services without any corresponding equitable funding for pregnant women and mothers, the state exercises a destructive, coercive power in favor of ending innocent lives. Enshrining this amendment’s language into the constitution will extend the danger of coercive abortion to babies with unquestioned viability.   

“The California Catholic Conference will be actively engaged in opposing the upcoming ballot initiative and asking the state’s 12 million Catholics to work to raise awareness and vigorous opposition in our dioceses, parishes, and communities.” 

Last night, CCC Executive Director Kathleen Domingo was joined by San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantú, Creighton University School of Medicine professor Charlie Camosy, Archdiocese of San Francisco Gabriel Project Coordinator Maria Martinez Mont, and Rehumanize International founder Aimee Murphy for the launch of We Were Born Ready, a campaign and forum to empower, equip, mobilize, and resource Catholics to fulfill their baptismal call to serve women, children, and families, especially women in difficult and unexpected pregnancies. 

“I think there is something essential about realizing that as fellow baptized Christians and Catholics, we are family, not implied family, we are brothers and sisters in Christ,” challenged Camosy during the hour-long event. “What if we actually thought it was our family members who were having abortions because they needed to choose between putting food on the table and having another child? Or because their spouse, boyfriend, or father threatened physical abuse if they didn’t? How would we make space for them? How would we open our doors? Wouldn’t we offer all the support we could? Wouldn’t we drop everything for them?” 

“We need to think of our churches as not just sacrament dispensers, but as places where we go to see and support our families. If we actually live that out, we would go a long way to creating a culture of encounter and hospitality,” he said. 

View the recorded webinar here. 

Click here to learn more about We Were Born Ready and get engaged. 

San Diego Auxiliary Bishop Dolan Appointed to Diocese of Phoenix

Pope Francis named San Diego Auxiliary Bishop John P. Dolan, 60, to lead the Diocese of Phoenix. Dolan will succeed Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, who is entering retirement.

“Bishop Dolan is such as thoughtful and intentional pastor, and the CCC has benefited from his dedication to people, especially with his work on mental health,” said CCC Executive Director Kathleen Domingo. “The Diocese of Phoenix will be incredibly well-served by his leadership.”

Dolan has served as Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego since 2017, where he grew up. A fluent Spanish speaker and staunch mental health advocate, he is the author of two books: Responding to Suicide and When A Loved one Dies By Suicide. 

The Diocese of Phoenix is comprised of 43,967 square miles in Arizona and has a total population of 5,076,170, of which 1,111,681 are Catholic.

“Can you imagine the amount of pressure this places on women in the state? Imagine the stress of a young mother coming out of the pandemic. Think of the mom who has lost her job, is struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table for her kids, who wants to welcome a new baby but doesn’t know where to turn. The sheer amount of economic and legislative pressure for her to have an abortion is shamefully coercive.” 

– Molly Sheahan, CCC associate director for life advocacy. 

From the Pillar – Many legal experts and court watchers are predicting the Supreme Court will issue a ruling in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health this month, overturning Roe v Wade, and clearing the way for state legislatures to take action on abortion.

If it does, more than a dozen states already have laws in place to heavily restrict or eliminate abortion. But other states will move to entrench access to abortion in there territory.

So what is the Church doing to prepare for what comes next in those states that want to become “abortion magnets”? And what can Catholics do to get involved?

Continue Reading at ThePillar.com

In a general audience, the day after nineteen schoolchildren and their two teachers were tragically murdered, Pope Francis appealed, “Let us all strive to ensure that such tragedies can never happen again.” 

For many years, the Catholic bishops have supported a number of reasonable measures that address the problem of gun violence. This most recent massacre in Uvalde, as we are still grieving the lives lost in Buffalo, Dallas, Laguna Woods, and now Tulsa, has reminded us of the urgency for Congress to act now.

There continue to be productive conversations around gun violence legislation on Capitol Hill. Now is the time to act! Please take a moment to encourage your elected officials to take steps to prevent additional mass shootings. If you have been directly impacted by gun violence, we invite you to consider including your personal story in your message.

Read the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’letter to Congress on gun violence.

Take Action Now!

The USCCB is celebrating Religious Freedom Week from June 22 through June 29. This year’s theme is Life and Dignity for all, with each day dedicated to praying, reflecting, and taking action on different facets of religious liberty in the U.S. and abroad.

Religious freedom allows the Church, and all religious communities, to live out their faith in public and serve the good of all. When we promote religious freedom, we promote the common good and thus strengthen the life of our nation and the community of nations.

Click here to learn more and for materials including graphics and lectionary notes. You can also text “FREEDOM” to 84576 to receive USCCB news updates and action alerts.

With the support of the California Catholic Conference, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Raul Ruiz (both D-Calif.) introduced bicameral legislation this work to create the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park. 

Senator Padilla’s bill will designate the approximately 300-mile march route taken by farmworkers Delano and Sacramento in 1966 as a National Historic Trail and authorize the Department of the Interior to include McDonnell Hall in San Jose California, as part of the National Historical Park. 

“The California Catholic Conference supports the creation of the Cesar Chavez and Farm Labor Movement National Historic Park,” said CCC Executive Director Kathleen Domingo. “Cesar Chavez, motivated by his deep Catholic faith, recognized the dignity of every person and worked for a dignified environment for farm workers. He built a movement of solidarity with farm workers, mobilizing them to create community and pathways for justice. This monument will memorialize his contribution and encourage new generations to put their faith into action to create a more just and fraternal world.” 

Click here for more details.

June 10, 2022 | Vol. 18, No. 19