“It’s not even about the legality of abortion,” she said. “It’s about the fact that people want to have kids, and this climate doesn’t allow them to thrive. How can we make sure that the people who want to have kids are able to have them? That’s the question we’re asking in California.”

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June, abortion became illegal in many states. California was not one of them.

In fact, California significantly expanded access to abortion last year. In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 13 bills protecting abortion. In November, California voters also overwhelmingly backed Proposition 1, which made abortion a constitutional right in the state.

“It’s been difficult,” Maria Valadez, the director of Respect Life and Pastoral Care Programs in the Diocese of San Bernardino, Calif., said. “But I feel hopeful that there’s going to be people who continue to engage in this conversation.”
 

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Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom released his proposed budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The new spending plan has been shaved down from last year’s record-breaking $308 billion budget to address the predicted $20 billion deficit projected by the State’s Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO). The Governor’s proposal does not include tapping into the state’s reserve funds to close the budget shortfall. See a detailed analysis here. 

While the proposal continues to fund many of the commitments that Newsom has made in his tenure as Governor, including Medi-Cal spending for the undocumented, it delays spending commitments on some infrastructure and transportation projects and the planned expansion of subsidized childcare slots. 

The state will continue to fulfill its current commitments to combat human trafficking, serve youth in foster care, and begin the CARE Court process, an initiative approved by the legislature last year that allows judges to require mental health treatment for the homeless. 

The Budget includes the $200 million promised last year for abortion expansion through clinic infrastructure, scholarships and loan repayments, grants to cover uninsured and underinsured abortion services, and abortion practice support. It also adds $185 million in federal funds and $15 million from the general fund to invest in “family planning and reproductive health” services system transformation.

To combat the ongoing opioid crisis, Newsom included new revenues of almost $100 million to provide Naloxone to all middle and high schools and community distribution to first responders, law enforcement, and community-based organizations. 

This year's education budget increases last year’s highest-ever per-pupil spending for California by almost $1,000 to $23,723. However, the rate of inflation reduces the spending power of the increase. The overall budget for California’s k-12 schools is $1.5 billion lower than last year’s budget, a product of the Prop. 98 formula required to calculate education spending and reduced state revenues. State and UC schools will see a 5% increase in their budgets, consistent with the required increases. 

“The recent shootings in Monterey Park (Los Angeles County) and now in Half Moon Bay remind us of how fragile human life is, but also how precious human life is. We must never take human life for granted. We must never take out our aggressions and our frustrations on others, especially in any form of violence. Yes, we need to come together to pray, and we pray for the victims, their families, the perpetrator, but we need to pray all the time. Not just during these moments of great tragedy, but all the time. We need to reclaim God at the center of our lives. He is the one who will grant us His peace.”

• Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archdiocese of San Francisco 

“We pray for those killed and injured in this shooting, we ask that God stay close to their families and loved ones. We pray for the wounded to be healed, and we ask that God give strength and guidance to the doctors and nurses who are caring for them.

“We ask that God grant wisdom and prudence to law enforcement and public officials working to make sense of the violence and keep our communities safe.

“And we pray for peace. Peace in the hearts of those who are troubled. Peace in the hearts of those who are afraid and hurting today, and peace for those whose faith has been shaken.”

• Archbishop José H. Gomez, Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Full statement here.

California Catholic Conference Director of Education Samara Palko has been appointed to serve on the California Practitioners Advisory Group (CPAG) as the Representative for Private School Children.  

This group meets twice a year to provide input for the State Board of Education to support and implement a single coherent local, state, and federal accountability system.  Palko will provide feedback on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and advise on the design of the Local Control Funding Formula.  

“Serving on the CPAG, I hope to foster collaboration and accountability in ensuring private school students receive equitable services and that implementing the Local Control Funding Formula best serves all of California’s students.”

World Day for Consecrated Life will take place this Feb. 2 this year and be celebrated in parishes the week of Feb. 4-5. 

In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed, symbolizing Christ, who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church.

Visit the USCCB’s website for prayers for the faithful and a short bulletin article on World Day for Consecrated Life. 
 

The USCCB has launched Catholic Current, a weekly series of podcasts available on video on timely items of interest or complex issues facing the Church. 

The first episode focused on Bishop Mark Seitz’s encounter with President Biden during his visit to the US-Mexico border, January as Poverty Awareness Month, and Pope Francis’ observance of the Baptism of the Lord.  This week (January 19th), the forthcoming show notes the National Prayer Vigil for Life, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and an interview with Bishop David Malloy on his participation in a delegation of international bishops to the Holy Land. 

Similarly, Public Affairs staff have launched a Spanish language video podcast called Entre Amigos. The first episode of Entre Amigos includes an interview with the USCCB Director of the Collection for the Church in Latin America. 

These videos will be available on YouTube, USCCB social media channels, and soon on the USCCB website.