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As Catholics, we have a moral responsibility to hear, receive, and act upon the Church's teaching in the lifelong task of forming our consciences. Below are resource pages on issues that the Texas and United States Bishops advocates for or against. The pages are organized by topic, based on our Legislative Agenda, and then include additional categories. Click a section below to begin.



  • General
  • Life Issues
  • Immigration
  • Education
  • Health & Human Services
  • Criminal Justice Reform
  • Bishops' Statements
  • Texas Catholic Conference Testimony and Letters
  • Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

  • Resources en Español
  • Bulletin Inserts
  • Other Issues
  • Guidelines for Pastors and Parishes on Advocacy and Political Participation

    Click here to read the Guidelines for Pastors and Parishes on Advocacy and Political Participation.



    General

    Bioethics Concerns
    Catholic Social Teaching
    Catholic Statistics - The Church in Texas
    Faithful Citizenship
    Voting by Conscience (USCCB)
    United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Departments and Programs (USCCB)


    Life Issues

    Our foundational principle to protect the life and dignity of all human persons calls us to work to end abortion, euthanasia, destruction of human embryos, cloning and assisted suicide.

    Trigger Ban (TCC policy paper)
    Judicial bypass in parental consent law (TCC policy paper)
    Woman's Right to Know brochures (TCC policy paper)
    Choose Life license plates (TCC policy paper)
    Funding for abortion alternative providers (TCC policy paper)
    Stop state funding for abortion (TCC policy paper)
    Abortion reporting (TCC policy paper)
    Embryonic Stem Cell Research (TCC policy paper)
    Access to Ultrasounds (TCC policy paper)
    Surgical Ambulatory clinic standards for abortion clinics(TCC policy paper)
    Strong Enforcement of abortion provider violations(TCC policy paper)
    Abortion
    Respect for Unborn Human Life: The Church's Constant Teaching (USCCB) (en español)
    Testimony on Respect for Life, Bishop Vann, Diocese of Fort Worth
    Testimony on Embryonic Stem Cell Resarch, Fr. Joseph Howard, Jr
    Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia (USCCB)
    Cloning/Embryonic Stem Cell Research/Stem Cell Research (USCCB)
    In Vitro Fertilization (USCCB)
    Marriage and Same-Sex Unions (USCCB)
    Between Man and Woman: Questions and Answers About Marriage and Same-Sex Unions (USCCB)
    Orthodox Jewish-Catholic Statement on Marriage (USCCB)
    Partial Birth Abortion (USCCB)
    Pregnant Women Support Act (USCCB)
    Embryonic Stem Cell Research
    USCCB Pro Life Activities

    Immigration

    We recognize the historic and present-day contributions of immigrants in Texas by supporting their ability to work in a healthy environment in order to provide for their families and continue their valuable participation in the community.


    Comprehensive Immigration Reform(TCC policy paper)
    In-state college tuition for Texas public school students(TCC policy paper)
    Access to education(TCC policy paper)
    Access to healthcare (TCC policy paper)
    Texas-Mexico border fence(TCC policy paper)
    Law enforcement(TCC policy paper)
    Testimony on the Border Wall, Bishop Peña, Diocese of Brownsville, April 28, 2008
    Testimony on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Bishop Tamayo, Diocese of Laredo, March 2007
    Letter on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, May 2007
    Justice for Immigrants (USCCB)
    Church Urges Humane, Comprehensive Solution to Immigration Issue (USCCB)

    Education

    We recognize parents as the primary educators of their children through supporting parental choice in education.


    Reinstatement of exemption of accredited private schools from licensure as child care providers (TCC policy paper)
    Expand school breakfast program (TCC policy paper)
    School Choice (TCC policy paper)
    Textbook loan program (TCC policy paper)
    Tax credits or deductions for education expenses (TCC policy paper)
    Reduce high school drop-outs (TCC policy paper)
    Testimony on School Choice, September 2006
    Educational Opportunity for All (Texas Bishops Statement)
    Joint Statement on School Choice by the Delegates of The Rabbinical Council of America/Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
    National Catholic Educational Association
    School Choice

    Health & Human Services

    We show God's special concern for the poor and vulnerable by supporting programs that make health care more affordable and accessible while providing incentives, environmental protections and for morally appropriate health research.

    Improvements of the eligibility system, outreach and application assistance, enroll every eligible child in CHIP & Medicaid and 12 months continuous eligibility (TCC policy paper)
    CHIP buy-in program for middle income families (TCC policy paper)
    Adequate reimbursement for CHIP & Medicaid providers (TCC policy paper)
    Access to mental health care (TCC policy paper)
    Advance Directives statute reform (TCC policy paper)
    Public Health initiatives (TCC policy paper)
    Conscience clause (TCC policy paper)
    Ova Donation (TCC policy paper)
    Advance Directives
    Children's Health Care and the Environment (USCCB)
    Climate Change (USCCB)
    A Catholic Approach to Climate Change - Q&A format (USCCB)
    End of Life Issues
    Treatment-pending-transfer
    Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (USCCB)
    Testimony on End-of-Life Issues, Bishop Aymond, Diocese of Austin
    Testimony on the Children's Health Insurance Program, Spring 2007
    Letter on Elder Care, Spring 2007
    USCCB Statement on Health Care, May 2009
    Environmental Justice (USCCB)
    A Will for Living (En Español) (USCCB)
    Human Trafficking (UCSCB)
    Letter of Support for Conscience Protection Measures, Cardinal Rigali, 7/18/2008 (USCCB)
    Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities
    Poverty USA: Catholic Campaign for Human Development (USCCB)
    Subprime Mortgage Lending (USCCB)
    Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) (USCCB)
    USCCB Justice, Peace, and Social Development

    Criminal Justice Reform

    We support fiscal and moral reform in our state's criminal justice system with an emphasis on ending the death penalty and supporting successful rehabilitation and reintegration of those re-entering society.


    Abolish use of the death penalty (TCC policy paper)
    Death Penalty moratorium (TCC policy paper)
    Ban on executions of mentally retarded (TCC policy paper)
    Funding for Chaplain corps (TCC policy paper)
    Funding for community supervision and parole divisions of TDCJ (TCC policy paper)
    Equitable pay scale for correctional officers (TCC policy paper)
    Indigent defense (TCC policy paper)
    Innocence Commission in Texas (TCC policy paper)
    Office of Capital Writs and Public Defenders offices in Texas (TCC policy paper)
    Opt-out of ban on drug felons receiving food stamps and student loans (TCC policy paper)
    Death Penalty
    Clemency Letter for Kenneth Foster
    Clemency Letter for Cathy Henderson
    Letter on Jessica's Law, Spring 2007
    Catholic Campaign to End the use of the Death Penalty (USCCB)
    Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice (USCCB)

    Faithful Citizenship Articles
    Conscience and Moral Law, Bishop Peña, Diocese of Brownsville, 9/2008
    Church Urges Humane, Comprehensive Solution to Immigration Issue (USCCB)
    The Election and the Environment (USCCB)
    Voting by Conscience (USCCB)
    Poverty and the 2008 Election (USCCB)
    Moral Questions Regarding Iraq in an Election Year (USCCB)
    A Decade Later: Time for a Dose of Reality on Stem Cells (USCCB)
    Gay Marriage – Locating the Question (USCCB)
    Abortion and Faithful Citizenship (USCCB)
    Bringing Facts and Principles to the Health Care Debate (USCCB)
    The American Workplace: Economic Policy, Moral Dimensions (USCCB)


    Resources en Español

    Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica (Vatican)
    Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica Compendio (Vatican)
    Letter to Parishioners on Faithful Citizenship, from TCC Executive Director 09/2008
    Cuidadanos Fieles (Faithful Citizenship) (USCCB)
    Acceso a la Atención Médica (Declaración Pastoral de los Obispos Católicos de Tejas)
    Entre hombre y mujer Preguntas y respuestas sobre el matrimonio y las uniones del mismo sexo (USCCB)
    Respeto por el ser humano por nacer: Enseñanza perenne de la Iglesia
    Testamento para Vivir (USCCB)
    Los Obispos de Texas responden a Amnistía Internacional
    Declaración sobre la presencia de la Senadora Hillary Clinton
    en la Universidad St. Mary
    Declaración de los obispos de Texas sobre las plantas de combustión de Carbón
    Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs (USCCB)
    Mexican American Culture Center
    Catholic Relief Services
    More links

    Bulletin Inserts

    Our two-page Policy Papers are perfect to use as bulletin inserts, and help inform parishioners about the work of the Texas Catholic Conference. You can download our Policy Papers here, simply click on an agenda item and a two-page policy paper will open (note: you must have Adobe Reader to open the file).

    Also see below for other Bulletin Inserts:

    Down Syndrome

    Other Issues

    Amnesty International
    Arms Control
    Coal Fired Plants
    Debt Relief
    Development Assistance
    Federal Budget
    Food and Nutrition
    Global Climate Change
    Global Food Crisis & Catholic Social Teaching and Food
    HIV-AIDS PEPFAR
    Holy Land Peace
    HPV Vaccine Mandate
    Iraq
    Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum (Latin liturgy)
    National Housing Trust Fund
    Paid Sick Leave
    Religious Liberty
    Rural Life
    Same Sex Marriage
    Trade


    For More Information

    We invite you to use our Policy Papers,
    FAQ, Testimony and Letters, Bishops' Statements, and Links pages for even more information.






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