2012-08-19 Bulletin

If you missed our bulletin, here you go!  2012-08-19 Bulletin

United for Religious Freedom - USCCB

United for Religious Freedom

A Statement of the Administrative Committee

Of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

March 14, 2012

The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, gathered for its March 2012 meeting, is strongly unified and intensely focused in its opposition to the various threats to religious freedom in our day. In our role as Bishops, we approach this question prayerfully and as pastors—concerned not only with the protection of the Church’s own institutions, but with the care of the souls of the individual faithful, and with the common good.

To address the broader range of religious liberty issues, we look forward to the upcoming publication of “A Statement on Religious Liberty,” a document of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. This document reflects on the history of religious liberty in our great Nation; surveys the current range of threats to this foundational principle; and states clearly the resolve of the Bishops to act strongly, in concert with our fellow citizens, in its defense.

One particular religious freedom issue demands our immediate attention: the now-finalized rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would force virtually all private health plans nationwide to provide coverage of sterilization and contraception—including abortifacient drugs—subject to an exemption for “religious employers” that is arbitrarily narrow, and to an unspecified and dubious future “accommodation” for other religious organizations that are denied the exemption.

We begin, first, with thanks to all who have stood firmly with us in our vigorous opposition to this unjust and illegal mandate: to our brother bishops; to our clergy and religious; to our Catholic faithful; to the wonderful array of Catholic groups and institutions that enliven our civil society; to our ecumenical and interfaith allies; to women and men of all religions (or none at all); to legal scholars; and to civic leaders. It is your enthusiastic unity in defense of religious freedom that has made such a dramatic and positive impact in this historic public debate. With your continued help, we will not be divided, and we will continue forward as one.

Second, we wish to clarify what this debate is—and is not—about. This is not about access to contraception, which is ubiquitous and inexpensive, even when it is not provided by the Church’s hand and with the Church’s funds. This is not about the religious freedom of Catholics only, but also of those who recognize that their cherished beliefs may be next on the block. This is not about the Bishops’ somehow “banning contraception,” when the U.S. Supreme Court took that issue off the table two generations ago. Indeed, this is not about the Church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the federal government forcing the Church—consisting of its faithful and all but a few of its institutions—to act against Church teachings. This is not a matter of opposition to universal health care, which has been a concern of the Bishops’ Conference since 1919, virtually at its founding. This is not a fight we want or asked for, but one forced upon us by government on its own timing. Finally, this is not a Republican or Democratic, a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American issue.

So what is it about?

An unwarranted government definition of religion. The mandate includes an extremely narrow definition of what HHS deems a “religious employer” deserving exemption—employers who, among other things, must hire and serve primarily those of their own faith. We are deeply concerned about this new definition of who we are as people of faith and what constitutes our ministry. The introduction of this unprecedented defining of faith communities and their ministries has precipitated this struggle for religious freedom. Government has no place defining religion and religious ministry. HHS thus creates and enforces a new distinction—alien both to our Catholic tradition and to federal law—between our houses of worship and our great ministries of service to our neighbors, namely, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the students in our schools and universities, and others in need, of any faith community or none. Cf. Deus Caritas Est, Nos. 20-33. We are commanded both to love and to serve the Lord; laws that protect our freedom to comply with one of these commands but not the other are nothing to celebrate. Indeed, they must be rejected, for they create a “second class” of citizenship within our religious community. And if this definition is allowed to stand, it will spread throughout federal law, weakening its healthy tradition of generous respect for religious freedom and diversity. All—not just some—of our religious institutions share equally in the very same God-given, legally-recognized right not “to be forced to act in a manner contrary to [their] own beliefs.” Dignitatis Humanae, No. 2.

A mandate to act against our teachings. The exemption is not merely a government foray into internal Church governance, where government has no legal competence or authority—disturbing though that may be. This error in theory has grave consequences in principle and practice. Those deemed by HHS not to be “religious employers” will be forced by government to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions. This is not only an injustice in itself, but it also undermines the effective proclamation of those teachings to the faithful and to the world. For decades, the Bishops have led the fight against such government incursions on conscience, particularly in the area of health care. Far from making us waver in this longstanding commitment, the unprecedented magnitude of this latest threat has only strengthened our resolve to maintain that consistent view.

A violation of personal civil rights. The HHS mandate creates still a third class, those with no conscience protection at all: individuals who, in their daily lives, strive constantly to act in accordance with their faith and moral values. They, too, face a government mandate to aid in providing “services” contrary to those values—whether in their sponsoring of, and payment for, insurance as employers; their payment of insurance premiums as employees; or as insurers themselves—without even the semblance of an exemption. This, too, is unprecedented in federal law, which has long been generous in protecting the rights of individuals not to act against their religious beliefs or moral convictions. We have consistently supported these rights, particularly in the area of protecting the dignity of all human life, and we continue to do so.

Third, we want to indicate our next steps. We will continue our vigorous efforts at education and public advocacy on the principles of religious liberty and their application in this case (and others). We will continue to accept any invitation to dialogue with the Executive Branch to protect the religious freedom that is rightly ours. We will continue to pursue legislation to restore the same level of religious freedom we have enjoyed until just recently. And we will continue to explore our options for relief from the courts, under the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws that protect religious freedom. All of these efforts will proceed concurrently, and in a manner that is mutually reinforcing.

Most importantly of all, we call upon the Catholic faithful, and all people of faith, throughout our country to join us in prayer and penance for our leaders and for the complete protection of our First Freedom—religious liberty—which is not only protected in the laws and customs of our great nation, but rooted in the teachings of our great Tradition. Prayer is the ultimate source of our strength—for without God, we can do nothing; but with God, all things are possible.


http://www.usccb.org/conscience

Diocesan Stewardship Appeal 2012 - donate a pizza?

We’re all pretty familiar with the ideas behind the appeal - giving of our Time, Talent Treasure

But the appeal is about more than just fundraising, although that is a part of our goal.  It is about being good stewards of the gifts we are given.  it is also about being good disciples of Christ.  In 1 Peter 4:10, we are each directed to ‘use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.’

Every one of us has a responsibility to support our church as stewards and disciples.  We can manifest this in numerous ways.  Perhaps we use our time to attend Eucharistic Adoration (1st & 3rd Tuesdays), make Valentine’s for Mt. Carmel residents, or prepare Sunday dinner for our community.  Maybe we offer our talents when we join in the music ministry, lector at Mass, or welcome others to worship with us.  Maybe we tithe to the church, realizing that all we have comes from God.  

Our situations may vary, and our abilities can grow and change.  But we know that without support from us, the people of the church, the church would not exist.  So it is up to us to build up our church.  Today we are asked to consider giving of our treasure to our church.  The Newman Center benefits from the appeal, and without that support, we couldn’t continue our ministry.  Approximately 90% of our budget comes from diocese support.  So please, prayerfully consider participating in the appeal with a donation.  All amounts will help us reach our goal.  Perhaps you might give up the cost of a pizza or coffee or a movie and donate that to our appeal.  You can even give your donation online at the diocesan website. Be sure to select UNK Newman Center, Kearney from the bottom of the list!

I’d like to close with this thought on Stewardship, by an unknown author.  It reminds us that we are not called to wait for someone else to do God’s work, but rather, that we are Christ’s body in the world.


Dianne Keiter  

Stewardship
My church is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is.
It will be friendly, if I am.
Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them.
It will do great work, if I work.
It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.
It will bring other people into its worship and community, if I invite and bring them.
It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with the same things.
Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things, that I want my church to be.
Author Unknown

USCCB - HHS Rule and Mandate

Please check out the updates from the USCCB in English or Spanish.

Ordinary time is NOT ordinary

Taken from Living Liturgy 2012:

These thirty-four weeks of non-festal time are named "Sundays in Ordinary Time," first, because they derive non from a feast day as such (they use to be called Sundays "after Epiphany" or "after Pentecost") but from the mystery of Jesus Christ. These Sundays, then rather than celebratings a particular saving event (such as Christmas, Easter, pentecost), actually celebrate the whole mystery of Christ. For this reason, every Sunday might also be called a "cominical" feast day, that is, a day celebrating the Lord (from the Latin Dominus, Lord).

Second, they are called "Ordinary Time" because they are numbered or "counted time" (from the Latin word ordinarius and its cognates, which mean "according to order," "regular"). Although the Latin is translated from the editio typica (the official, Latin version of our liturgical texts) in English by "ordinary," we must not think these Sundays are prosaic or unimportant. In fact, they make up the longest liturgical season of the year, the church's teaching time. This is the time when, Sunday after Sunday, we walk with Jesus through a gospel and learn what it means to be his followers, what it means to hear and heed his call; and we learn how to come to deeper relationship with him.