With Election Day less than 90 days away, now is the time to get active and start advocating against Prop. 1, the attempt to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution. The California Catholic Conference has resources available in English and Spanish to assist your parish in raising awareness and encouraging voter registration and participation this fall, including: More materials will be available soon. Proposition 1 would enshrine the explicit right to abortion in our state constitution, setting a nationwide precedent. It is the most egregious expansion of abortion this country has ever seen, far beyond Roe, and will likely cost taxpayers millions as it is challenged in court.
Students throughout the state are returning to school, and the issue of sexual health education for public school students also returns. In California, each school district is required to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 through 12 receive comprehensive sexual health education from instructors trained in the appropriate courses. However, many families are unfamiliar with the laws that govern their rights and responsibilities to make decisions about such instruction of their children. Click here to learn more about the California Healthy Youth Act and opportunities for parents to get clarification on the issue of sexual health education in California and, at the same time, advocate for full parental rights to be protected. The CCC also has a backgrounder to provide information on parent rights regarding the sexual health education of their children. Learn more here.
Every year on August 25, the International Prison Chaplains Association invites chaplains and those with an interest in prison ministry to join together in a special day of prayer for prisons. You are encouraged to share the resources among your colleagues and church networks to grow support for this. You can find links below to liturgy resources for the Global Day of Prayer for Prison Ministry in English, Spanish, and French. There is also a short Zoom prayer service on Aug. 25. You can register here to participate.
The USCCB has released resources to assist in the celebration of Respect Life Month in parishes in October. Materials include posters, prayer cards, action guides, reflections, homily helps, graphics, leaders’ toolkits, and a catalog of other materials available for purchase. In October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of October is designated as Respect Life Sunday. To support these annual observances, the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities provides materials to help Catholics understand and value the gift of human life and help build a culture that cherishes and protects it. The materials are designed to be brought to life as tools in your hands. These resources may be downloaded, printed, and reproduced for use in your parish, school, or ministry.
Stay Connected! Aug. 18, 2022 | 
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