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We are very pleased to inform you that Central Health, the public hospital district for Travis and surrounding counties, has announced that it will stop spending public money on abortions! The Texas Catholic Conference, along with other organizations, policymakers, and you, our advocates, have fought strongly to end this funding.
"We are immensely grateful to the thousands of individuals and organizations that worked with us--both at the state and the local level--to make this decision possible," said Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez. "They can take great pride in the fact that through their letters, phone calls, emails, and signatures from more than 10,000 Austin Catholic parishioners, their passion gave voice for these unborn children." Read our full press release on this news online here.
This week we sent out an action alert in response to the HHS mandate regarding health care plans. You can read our action alert below. We also have additional resources on this issue from Bishop Vann and from the USCCB. We are also keeping all those who are embarking on their journey to this year's World Youth Day. You can learn more about the day online here.
Action Alerts
Join Us in Protecting Moral Conscience in Health Care Services
Last week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandated that all medical insurance and health care plans provide certain “preventive health services” as part of future benefits packages in health care reform. These “preventive services” include coverage for all FDA-approved prescription contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortifacients (i.e., the "morning after" pill RU-486 and the new "Ella" drug which induces abortion some weeks into pregnancy). The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the National Catholic Bioethics Center strongly oppose this mandate. Read full alert here.
Texas Bishops
Position Statement on (HHS) Mandate
By Bishop Kevin Vann, Diocese of Fort Worth
I join my fellow bishops of Texas in calling all Catholics to come to action against the federally proposed HHS mandate that makes contraception a mandatory, no-fee preventive service, on all health insurance plans. These proposed rules are contrary to Catholic moral teaching. Read Full Story >>
The Hard Work is Still Ahead
By Bishop Kevin Farrell, Diocese of Dallas
Well, the nation did not default on its obligations, the debt limit was raised and everybody gave a big sigh of relief. It reminds me a little of a wedding day. After all the work that preceded the nuptial day, when the wedding is over everybody gives a big sigh of relief. But we all know that the really hard work of building a marriage is still ahead. So it is with the “debt crisis”. The hard work is still ahead, and the American bishops are concerned. Read Full Story >>
News
HHS Makes In-Your-Face Effort to Undermine Constitution’s Religious Freedom
Health and Human Services must think Catholics and other religious groups are fools.That’s all you can think when you read HHS’s recent announcement that it may exempt the church from having to pay for contraceptive services, counseling to use them and sterilizations under the new health reform in certain circumstances. As planned now, HHS would limit the right of the church not to pay for such services in limited instances, such as when the employees involved are teaching religion and in cases where the people served are primarily Catholic. Read full story >>
Catholic diocese names Marcia Stevens as new superintendent of schools - East Texas Catholic
Beginning Aug. 29 Marcia Stevens will hit the pavement running as the new superintendent of Catholic schools. Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD, announced today (July 25) that Stevens will be the new superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Beaumont.
Stevens has 32 years of experience in public education as well as years of experience in development. She spent 10 years in teaching, 10 years as an elementary curriculum supervisor, and 12 years as a fine arts supervisor. She holds a bachelor’s degree from McNeese State University, Lake Charles, in early childhood education and a master’s degree from Lamar University, Beaumont, in educational leadership. Read full story >>
USCCB President and CRS Chairman Issue Aid Appeal for Drought and Famine Victims in Somalia and Parts of East Africa
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, chairman of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), have asked the bishops of the United States to encourage pastors and parishioners to support emergency relief efforts in the Horn of Africa, possibly by taking up a second collection.
“Every day we are seeing more and more heartbreaking news about the drought and famine in Somalia and the eastern parts of Africa. We see millions of people being forced from their homes, leaving behind what meager possessions they had, and walking for days over rough terrain,” wrote Archbishop Dolan and Bishop Kicanas. Read Full Story >>
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In the Voice...
Upcoming Events
 Violence on the Border:
Consequences & Pastoral ResponsesOctober 19-20, 2011 The Mexican American Catholic College will present a symposium on immigration this October. Bishop Flores, Bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville, will be the keynote speaker. Topics will include: How are communities of faith responding? What needs to be done to bring peace to the border Relation between violence and immigration. Click here for more information.
The Texas Catholic Voice is the E-Newsletter of the Texas Catholic Conference - The Official Public Policy Voice of the Texas Bishops.
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