USCCB News Releases

U.S. Bishops To Meet With Bishops From Mexico, Central America And The Caribbean To Discuss Migration Issues

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:21:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Representatives of bishops’ conferences of the United States, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean countries will convene May 28-30 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the 2012 Regional Bishops’ Consultation on Migration. Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, chairman, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas will lead the U.S. delegation.

The meeting is an annual event that brings together bishops to focus on migration issues in the hemisphere. The participants are expected to discuss the current situation of migrants in their respective countries and explore ways to work together to positively impact the migration of peoples throughout the hemisphere.

The discussions will focus upon current conditions impacting migration in sending and receiving countries; the treatment of immigrants living in or in transit through their countries; the impact on communities left behind; and the implications of these realities on the Church’s pastoral care, advocacy and public policy, and service responses.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants will issue a statement on their discussions and make recommendations for regional cooperation between governments on the issue of migration.

The annual consultations have grown out of regular meetings between the migration-related committees of the U.S. and Mexico episcopal conferences that began in 1999 and resulted in the historic joint pastoral letter, Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, issued in 2003. Since then, the consultations have been expanded to other bishops’ conferences and their staff involved in human mobility work in Canada and Latin America, especially in Central America and the Caribbean. The meetings have ser...

Cardinal Dolan Applauds Church Agencies As They Challenge HHS For Violating Religious Freedom

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:17:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in a May 21 statement applauded 43 dioceses, hospitals, schools and church agencies for filing 12 lawsuits around the nation saying the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate violates religious freedom.

His statement follows.

“We have tried negotiation with the Administration and legislation with the Congress – and we’ll keep at it – but there's still no fix. Time is running out, and our valuable ministries and fundamental rights hang in the balance, so we have to resort to the courts now. Though the Conference is not a party to the lawsuits, we applaud this courageous action by so many individual dioceses, charities, hospitals and schools across the nation, in coordination with the law firm of Jones Day. It is also a compelling display of the unity of the Church in defense of religious liberty. It's also a great show of the diversity of the Church's ministries that serve the common good and that are jeopardized by the mandate – ministries to the poor, the sick, and the uneducated, to people of any faith or no faith at all.”

---

Keywords: Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Health and Human Services, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jones Day, religious freedom. First Amendment, religious liberty, HHS

# # # # #

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Sr. Mary Ann Walsh

O: 202-541-3200

M: 301-325-7935

...

Baltimore, Washington Liturgies To Bookend National Celebration Of Fortnight For Freedom

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:03:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Mass at the Baltimore’s historic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, scheduled for June 21 at 7:00pm EDT, will open the Fortnight For Freedom, which runs from June 21 to July 4. Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore will celebrate the liturgy to kick off the Catholic Church’s national education campaign on Religious Liberty.

The closing liturgy will be at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, July 4 at 12:10 p.m. EDT. The Mass in the nation’s capital will be celebrated by Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia will be the homilist. EWTN television will carry the Shrine Mass live.

Further details about the Fortnight can be found at www.fortnight4freedom.org.

Both national and local efforts will comprise the campaign that has been launched by the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty.

In addition to the Baltimore and Washington liturgies, national efforts include establishment of the fortnight4freedom website. The site hosts resources such as frequently asked questions about religious liberty, including quotes from the Founding Fathers, the Second Vatican Council and Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Another valuable resource is a study guide on Dignitatis Humanae, Vatican II’s document on religious liberty. In addition, the site provides several one-page sheets outlining current threats to religious freedom both in the United States and abroad.

The website also lists sample of activities already planned in particular dioceses, as well as resources and recommendations for other local efforts, such as special liturgies and prayer services. Bell ringing is planned for noon on July 4 to remind citizens nationwide of the primary place of religious freedom in the history, law, and culture of the United S...

New Priests Younger, Were Altar Servers, Lectors, Carry Debt

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:36:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The average age of men ordained to the priesthood in 2012 is trending younger with the median age for the 2012 class at 31. Two-thirds of the class are between the ages of 25 and 34. This is slightly younger than last year and follows the trend over the past six years.

These figures stand out in The Class of 2012: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood, an annual national survey of men being ordained priests for U.S. dioceses and religious communities. The study was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a Georgetown University-based research center. The entire report can be found at www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/ordination-class/.

The report is the 16^th annual survey of ordinands commissioned by the Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). About 63 percent of an estimated 487 potential ordinands in the United States responded to the survey.

Data show that on average, most of the ordination class have been Catholic from birth, but six percent became Catholic later in life. More than four in five report that both parents are Catholic, and more than a third have a relative who is a priest or religious.

Ordinands of the Class of 2012 have been active in parish ministries. Three-quarters indicated they served as an altar server and more than half (53 percent) participated in a parish youth group. One-fifth (22 percent) participated in a World Youth Day before entering the seminary.

The survey also found that new priests in dioceses and religious orders have educational debt. The debt is higher on average among men being ordained for the diocesan priesthood.Diocesan ordinands averaged $19,614 in educational debt when they entered the...

Lawyer, Businessman, Educator Named To National Review Board

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:14:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—A Maryland lawyer, Massachusetts educator and Maryland businessman have been named to the National Review Board for four-year terms, 2012-2016, beginning in June.

The new members include Kathleen Asdorian, president and managing attorney at Foundation Title, a residential and commercial real estate company in Bethesda, Maryland;the Honorable Michael Montelongo, senior vice president and chief administrative officer for Sodexo, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland; and Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), made the appointments.

Asdorian earned her doctor of law and licentiate in canon law degrees from The Catholic University of America and is an adjunct professor at CUA. She has done extensive volunteer work for the Archdiocese of Washington through the John Carroll Society and the Downtown Washington Serra Club and is postulator for the cause of beatification and canonization of Mary Virginia Merrick, founder of the National Christ Child Society. Asdorian also is a volunteer attorney for Washington’s Archdiocesan Legal Network of Catholic Charities and a founding board member and current vice chair of the Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School. She also serves as vice president of the Washington archdiocesan chapter of Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice, the pontifical lay organization founded by John Paul II to promote Catholic social teaching.

Montelongo has been with Sodexo since 2005. Prior to that he was appointed the 18^th assistant secretary of the Air Force serving as chief financial officer and was awarded the Air Force’s highest decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. He was a career military officer serving in line and staff assignments in the United States and overseas. He holds a...

USCCB Submits Comments on Proposed HHS Rulemaking, Urges Re-Opening of Final Rule Defining Mandate, Exemption

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:11:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Religious employers and other stakeholders would still have their employee health insurance plans and premiums used for services they find morally objectionable, even under future government accommodations, according to comments submitted by the General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The May 15 comments outlined the continued objections of USCCB to the HHS "preventive services" mandate and urged the administration to resolve these issues "in favor of more, not less, religious freedom."

"We believe that this mandate is unjust and unlawful – it is bad health policy, and because it entails an element of government coercion against conscience, it creates a religious freedom problem," wrote Anthony Picarello, USCCB associate general secretary and general counsel, and Michael Moses, associate general counsel. "These moral and legal problems are compounded by an extremely narrow exemption that intrusively and unlawfully carves up the religious community into those that are deemed 'religious enough' for an exemption, and those that are not."

The comments were submitted in response to an HHS Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on preventive services, which expressed the administration's intention to propose additional regulations in order to establish alternative ways of ensuring contraceptive coverage for employees enrolled in health plans of religious organizations not exempted from the HHS mandate while still "accommodating" such organizations.

The USCCB comments noted that such an accommodation would only apply to some religious organizations and that it "would still leave their premiums or plans (or both) as the source or conduit for the objectionable 'services.' But the use of premiums and plans for that purpose is precisely what is morally objectionable, and having an insurer or third party administer the payments does not overcome the mo...

USCCB Joins Call To White House To Change Nuclear Policy, Delivers Petition With 50,000 Signatures

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:53:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Representatives of various groups advocating nuclear arms reduction, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), presented a petition with over 50,000 signatures to the White House. The petition urges President Obama to reduce the role and number of nuclear weapons as he makes a once-in-a-decade decision on the Presidential nuclear weapons policy “guidance.”

The White House received the petition at a May 7 meeting with Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting. Stephen Colecchi, USCCB’s director of International Justice and Peace, represented the U.S. bishops. Leaders of arms control groups, including the Arms Control Association, the Council for a Livable World and Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, also participated in the meeting.

“In the 21st Century, nuclear weapons are a global liability, not an asset,” the petition said, calling on the President to “end outdated U.S. nuclear war-fighting strategy, dramatically reduce the number of U.S. nuclear weapons and the number of submarines, missiles, and bombers that carry those weapons, and take U.S. nuclear weapons off high alert. Maintaining large numbers of nuclear forces on alert increases the risk of accident or miscalculation.”

In response to the petition, Rhodes said, “The White House appreciates the engagement of citizens across our country who support efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and seek the peace and security of a world without them. This type of grassroots activism is critical to build awareness around the dangers of nuclear weapons, and to support common sense arms control policies.”

In a March 2 letter to National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon, Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, reiterated the position of Catholic teaching, the Vatican and the U.S...

Congolese Bishop Says Illegal Mining Causes Violence, Poverty, Urges Regulation In Congressional Testimony

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:37:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Congress should continue to support laws that promote transparency among companies that mine in the Congo and to “resist watering down SEC regulations to half measures that may save money, but cost lives.” said Bishop Nicolas Djomo Lola, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Congo, in May 10 testimony to the House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sponsored Bishop Djomo Lola’s participation in the hearing, “The Costs and Consequences of Dodd-Frank Section 1502: Impacts on America and the Congo.” Catholic Relief Services (CRS) coordinated the trip.

Speaking not as a businessman or a financial expert but as “a religious leader, who is deeply disturbed by the terrible violence and suffering that has dominated life in Eastern Congo since 1996,” Bishop Djomo Lola said, “This violence has destroyed families, villages and communities. One prominent driver of the violence is illicit mining conducted by the many armed groups in Eastern Congo. To protect our people from the misery of minerals, the Church in the Congo publicly supported the passage of Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.”

Bishop Djomo Lola expressed the hope that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will publish rules that will be rigorous enough to ensure that companies and consumers do not participate, inadvertently or not, in commerce that has led to suffering and thousands of deaths.

He added, “The Church in the Congo trusts that the business community can and will join us to protect the life and human dignity of the Congolese people by conducting legal, transparent and accountable international commerce. We are confident that they do not want to be part of the misery that has plagued Eastern Congo for years.”

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Don Clemmer

O: 202-541-32...

Asian And Pacific Catholics To Hold Marian Pilgrimage May 19 At National Shrine

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:13:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Asian and Pacific Catholics will hold a one-day celebration of faith and heritage at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Saturday, May 19.

The annual Asians for Mary Pilgrimage will mark its 10th anniversary this year. The event will begin at 1 p.m. with a procession with Marian images venerated throughout Asia and the Pacific and a call to prayer followed by the Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rosary will follow at 2 p.m. with each mystery lead by a different Asian community. At 2:30 p.m. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, will celebrate a multilingual Mass.

The annual Asians for Mary Pilgrimage began in May 2003, organized by the Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees, which is now part of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church (SCDC) of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).This year the pilgrimage is sponsored by the Asian Pacific Catholic Network (APC-Network) of the mid-Atlantic Region, in collaboration with the SCDC. The APC-Network is committed to the propagation of the Catholic faith and practices as seen through the eyes of Asian and Pacific immigrants.

As part of its pastoral goal of promoting understanding of cultural diversity in the Church, the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity is producing educational materials on Building Intercultural Competencies for Ministers (BICM) that will continue to support the richness and diversity of Asian Pacific and other ethnic groups present in the Catholic Church in the United States.

The Asian and Pacific Catholics of Metropolitan Washington area invite all Catholics and other religious groups to participate in the Asians for Mary Pilgrimage. Participating communities include Bengali, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Indian (Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites), Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Montagnard, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, ...

U.S. Bishops Applaud Approval Of North Carolina Marriage Amendment In Face Of President Obama’s Recent Comments

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:07:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The decision by the voters of North Carolina to define marriage in a constitutional amendment as the union of one man and one woman “affirms the authentic and timeless meaning of marriage,” said Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland, California. Bishop Cordileone, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Promotion and Defense of Marriage of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), applauded the May 8 decision with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh and Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte, North Carolina.

“The success of this amendment demonstrates people’s awareness of the essential role that marriage, as the union of a man and a woman, plays for the common good,” said Bishop Cordileone. “Despite his comments yesterday, I would hope that President Obama would recognize this essential role as well. This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of justice, fairness and equality for the law to uphold every child’s basic right to be welcomed and raised by his or her mother and father together.”

He added, “I extend my gratitude to all of the people in North Carolina who worked tirelessly to make this a reality. The people of North Carolina join millions of other Americans in affirming the importance of marriage in our society.”

North Carolina is the 30th state to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

The statement of Bishop Burbidge is available online: www.dioceseofraleigh.org/news/view.aspx?id=1486

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Don Clemmer

O: 202-541-3206

...

National Day Of Prayer And Remembrance For Mariners And People Of The Sea Is May 22

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:02:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Mariners and People of the Sea will be celebrated May 22. The day is observed in conjunction with National Maritime Day in the United States of America, which has been celebrated since 1933 to honor those who serve as merchant mariners and to recognize the benefits of the maritime industry.

Bishop J. Kevin Boland, bishop emeritus of Savannah, Georgia and Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) promoter, encouraged dioceses to mark the national day by remembering the men and women of the sea in homilies and by including special petitions during Mass. When Mass is celebrated on May 22, the text for the Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea, is encouraged.

“In a special way, let us remember those who have lost their lives at sea and those in dangerous situations,” Bishop Boland said.

Bishop Boland will celebrate a Mass in observance of Maritime Day on Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m., in the Crypt Church at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. The Mass is sponsored by the AOS national office and the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Last year, in his Angelus message on Sea Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI remembered the people of the sea and the hardships they and their families face.

“I address a special thought to the chaplains and volunteers who are doing their utmost for the pastoral care of seafarers, including fishers and their families,” the pope said. “I also assure the seafarers, who are unfortunately held hostage through acts of piracy, of my prayers. I hope they will be treated with respect and humanity, and I pray for their relatives, that they may be strong in faith and not to lose the hope of being reunited with their loved ones soon.”

Ninety percent of the world’s goods are transported by sea and the waterways. There ...

Cardinal Dolan: President Obama's Remarks on Marriage 'Deeply Saddening'

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:41:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued the following statement:

President Obama’s comments today in support of the redefinition of marriage are deeply saddening. As I stated in my public letter to the President on September 20, 2011, the Catholic Bishops stand ready to affirm every positive measure taken by the President and the Administration to strengthen marriage and the family. However, we cannot be silent in the face of words or actions that would undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better. Unfortunately, President Obama’s words today are not surprising since they follow upon various actions already taken by his Administration that erode or ignore the unique meaning of marriage. I pray for the President every day, and will continue to pray that he and his Administration act justly to uphold and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. May we all work to promote and protect marriage and by so doing serve the true good of all persons.

---

Keywords: Cardinal Timothy Dolan, President Barack Obama, marriage, same-sex marriage, promotion, defense, families, family life, USCCB, statement, definition

# # # # #

...

Text Of Blessing Of A Child In The Womb Now Available In English And Spanish For Use In United States

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:40:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Following Vatican approval, the “Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb” is now available for use by dioceses in the United States. The text of the blessing is posted online and is being published as a booklet addendum to the Book of Blessings/Bendicional. The blessing will be included in future editions of those liturgical volumes.

“We hope the use of this blessing will provide not only support and God’s blessing for expectant parents and their child in the womb, but also another effective witness to the sanctity of human life from the first moment of conception,” said Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, chairman of the Committee on Divine Worship of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

The blessing can be offered within the context of the Mass as well as outside of Mass.

Parishes planning to use the blessing this Mother’s Day can download the text at www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/prayers/pro-life-blessings.cfm. The blessing may be ordered through USCCB Publishing as a 43-page bi-lingual booklet at www.usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?sku=7-316.

The blessing originated at the request of then-Bishop Joseph Kurtz of Knoxville, Tennessee (now archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky) to the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities. The committee prepared and submitted a text to the USCCB's Divine Worship committee in March of 2008. It was approved by the U.S. bishops in November 2008, and then sent to Rome for editing and final approval.

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Don Clemmer

O: 202-541-3206

...

Bishops Reiterate Priorities To Protect Poor, Promote The Common Good In Letter To House

Tue, 08 May 2012 10:31:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Congress should assess every budget decision by how it reflects the shared responsibility of the government and other institutions to protect human life and dignity, especially of the poor and vulnerable, said the bishop who chairs the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in a May 8 letter to the House of Representatives.

“The Catholic bishops of the United States recognize the serious deficits our country faces, and we acknowledge that Congress must make difficult decisions about how to allocate burdens and sacrifices and balance resources and needs,” wrote Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, as the House prepared to vote on a reconciliation package for the 2013 budget.“However, deficit reduction and fiscal responsibility efforts must protect and not undermine the needs of poor and vulnerable people. The proposed cuts to programs in the budget reconciliation fail this basic moral test.”

Bishop Blaire singled out an “unfair” proposal to change the Child Tax Credit to exclude children of immigrant families, “the large majority of whom are American citizens,” proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) that would affect all poor families and be “a direct threat to their human dignity,” and the cutting of the Social Services Block Grant, “an important source of funding for programs throughout the country” that serve “the homeless, the elderly, people with disabilities, children living in poverty, and abuse victims.”

The full text of Bishop Blaire’s letter is available online: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/federal-budget/upload/reconciliation-letter-to-house-2012-05-08.pdf

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

...

U.S. Bishops To Meet June 13-15 In Atlanta, Discuss Domestic And International Religious Freedom

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:57:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will meet June 13-15, in Atlanta, for their annual Spring General Assembly. The bishops will have a two-hour floor discussion on domestic and international religious freedom. They will also hear an address by Carolyn Woo, Ph.D., the new president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Church in the United States.

Other items on the agenda include:

·A 10-Year Progress Report by the National Review Board on the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People

·Recommendations by the National Review Board from the study, Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010

·Discussion of a proposal for a special message on Catholic Reflections on Work, Poverty and a Broken Economy

·A report from chairmen of committees collaborating for the Year of Faith

·A report by Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, on the subcommittee’s work

·A report by Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Communications, on the Task Force for Communications

·An update by Bishop George Murry, SJ, of Youngstown, Ohio, secretary of USCCB, on the development of the 2013-2016 strategic plan

·A report from the National Advisory Council

Coverage of the meeting is open to credentialed media. Sessions open to the media will be Wednesday, June 13, and the mornin...

Pope Names Two Auxiliary Bishops For Brooklyn Diocese

Wed, 02 May 2012 08:52:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Paul Robert Sanchez, 65, and Msgr. Raymond Francis Chappetto, 66, as auxiliary bishops for the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.

The appointments were publicized in Washington May 2, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Paul Sanchez was born November 26, 1946 in Brooklyn and ordained a priest in 1971.

He holds a bachelor’s degree at St. Bonaventure University, a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a licentiate in theology at North American College in Rome.

After ordination he was assigned to Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Forest Hills , New York, 1972; St. Michael Parish, Flushing, New York, 1975; St. Sebastian Parish, Woodside, New York, 1987. He was named administrator of St. Sebastian Parish in 1990; pastor of St. Agatha Parish, Brooklyn, 1991; and pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Astoria, New York and administrator of St. Margaret Parish, Long Island City, New York, 2001. He was named vicar for Queens North in 2008 and vicar for Queens in 2009.

Raymond Chappetto was born August 20, 1945, in Astoria, Now York, and ordained a priest in 1971.

He attended Our Lady of Angels Seminary in the Diocese of Albany, New York and earned bachelor of arts and master of divinity degrees. In 1978, he earned a master’s degree in

religious education from St. John’s University. In 1983, he received certification in pastoral counseling.

Assignments after ordination included St. Camillus Parish, Rockaway Point, New York, 1971; St. Pius V Parish, Jamaica, New York, 1975; Incarnation Parish, Queens Village, New York, 1976; St. Helen Parish, Howard Beach, New York, 1981; Our Lady of Miracles Parish, Brooklyn, 1983.

He was named pastor of Our Lady of Miracles, in 1989; episcopal vicar of Brooklyn West, 1995; and pastor, Our Lady of the Snows, Floral Park, New York, 1999-present. He has also served a vicar for cler...

Bishops Welcome Repeal Of Death Penalty In Connecticut

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) congratulated the Connecticut bishops, the Connecticut Catholic Conference, Catholic Mobilizing Network, and all dedicated advocates against the death penalty for their work to bring about the repeal of the death penalty in Connecticut. Governor Dan Malloy enacted the legislation April 25, making Connecticut the 17th state to repeal the death penalty.

“As Catholics we are dedicated to promoting a consistent ethic of life, which values all human life as full of dignity and inherent worth – even those convicted of the worst crimes,” said Bishop Stephen E. Blaire, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. “We welcome the courageous decision by the governor and the legislature to abolish the use of the death penalty in Connecticut. We stand in solidarity with all those who work for a just and safe society that protects its citizens and upholds the sanctity and dignity of all human life.”

Pope Benedict XVI, like his predecessor John Paul II, has called for the end of the use of the death penalty. In November 2011, Pope Benedict expressed support for efforts for “political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty.”

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Don Clemmer

O: 202-541-3206

...

Bishops Promote Political Responsibility With Online Resources

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:54:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Blog posts, YouTube videos, an online quiz and resources on Facebook are among the ways U.S. Catholics can learn about the Church’s teaching on issues and involvement in the political process, as part of an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). These resources promote the document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the call to political responsibility issued by the U.S. bishops in 2007 and reissued last fall.

“Christians have a responsibility to live out their faith in the public square, and today that also means online,” said Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Communications. “People donate, speak out on numerous issues, get their news and participate in campaigns through the Internet and social media. The Church also needs to reach people through these media.”

Resources include:

·An issues quiz, which will help Catholics form their consciences through statistics and facts related to key moral issues including abortion, poverty, embryonic stem cell research and immigration. One quiz question will be posted every Tuesday and Thursday starting April 24 at www.facebook.com/usccb.

·Video reflections by bishops, including Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami and Archbishop-designate William Lori of Baltimore, discussing different issues of importance for Catholic voters: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/videos-for-faithful-citizenship.cfm.

·A “Catholics Care. Catholics Vote.” blog series, which explores different aspects of the bishops’ document, including its assertion that poli...

As Supreme Court Considers Arizona Law, Faith Leaders Call Upon President, Congress to Reassert Authority on Immigration Law

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:43:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—In letters sent April 24, on the eve of oral arguments to the Supreme Court on Arizona's immigration law, 15 religious leaders urged President Barack Obama and the 112^th Congress to "reassert your authority" and move to enact immigration reform legislation "as soon as possible."

The national faith leaders expressed concern that, because of its inaction on this issue for several years, the federal government is implicitly transferring "unprecedented authority" to state and local governments to implement immigration policy, to the "detriment of our nation and our local communities."

"Instead of one federal immigration system applicable to all, we now have many states and an untold number of localities attempting to create their own immigration policies," the letters stated. "This will only lead to a patchwork of laws which would cause family separation, economic disruption, and divided communities."

The leaders called for federal elected officials to move to enact immigration reform legislation, which would reaffirm federal authority over immigration law and preserve family unity as the cornerstone of the U.S. immigration system. They agreed that any reform of the system should feature a path to citizenship for the undocumented.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of USCCB, and Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, signed the letters on behalf of the U.S. bishops. Other signatories included Bishop Minerva Circano, resident bishop of the Phoenix area of the United Methodist Church and chair of the United Methodist Task Force on Immigration; Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church; Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; and Reverend ...

Methodist-Catholic Dialogue Issues Statement On Connection Between Eucharist, Environmental Stewardship

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:29:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Both Methodists and Catholics believe their celebration of the Eucharist helps them to see God’s glory in all of creation and therefore leads to greater care for the environment, according to a new joint statement produced by the United States dialogue between the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the Catholic Church. The statement, “Heaven and Earth are Full of Your Glory,” was issued April 20, ahead of the traditional observance of Earth Day.

Bishop William Skylstad, retired bishop of Spokane, Washington, and Methodist Bishop Timothy Whitaker of the UMC Florida Conference co-chaired the dialogue.

Gathering semiannually between the fall of 2008 and summer 2011, the seventh round of the Methodist-Catholic dialogue sought to build on the newfound unity between the UMC and the Catholic Church when the Methodists signed onto the Catholic-Lutheran Joint Declaration on Justification—an agreement dispelling the centuries-old disagreement on how people are made just before God—in 2006. The dialogue partners agreed to explore a major issue affecting the common good and chose environmental stewardship.

“We call both Methodists and Catholics to participate more deeply in the Eucharist by recognizing its intrinsic connection with the renewal of creation,” the statement said. “The Eucharist is regarded as the central form of Christian worship because it orchestrates all that humans are and can be on this earth—our senses, abilities, talents, gifts, and intelligence—and offers them back to God the Father in thanksgiving for the Paschal victory of his Son.”

The statement notes that elements of nature—grain for bread and grapes for wine—become part of salvation through the Eucharist and that salvation itself is an act of God at work in all of creation and all creation encountering God. This has implications for believers in their relationship with God’s creation in the environment.

Catholic participants in the dialogue included...

Hindu-Christian Dialogue Discusses the Hiddenness Of God

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:56:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The fifteenth annual meeting of Vaishnava Hindus and an ecumenical body of Christians convened to discuss the hiddenness of God as it is understood in the Hindu text Bhagavad Gita and the Christian classic the Mystical Theology of Dionysius the Areopagite. The meeting was held in Potomac, Maryland on April 13-14.

The first presentation addressed the hiddenness of God from the Christian perspective. Edward Shirley, Ph.D., professor of religion at St. Edward's University in Austin, TX, identified a common thread in the Christian mystical tradition, namely, that while the essence of what God is remains utterly unknowable to unaided reason, God emerges out of his infinite silence to make himself known in creation. In the thought of Dionysisus the Areopagite, this conveyance of God to humanity is understood as a progressive unfolding of God's own self in creaturely being, which is only dimly perceivable until God's concrete appearance in the Incarnation. For Dr. Shirley, this understanding of God's relation to the world and humanity, which extends from Dionysius the Areopagite to Francis of Assisi and Bonaventure, is a tacit celebration of the creation as the locus of man's encounter with God.

The second presentation addressed the hiddenness of God from the perspective of Vaishnava Hinduism. Dr. Graham Schweig, professor of religion at Christopher Newport University, began the conversation with the assertion that the Great Secret of the Hindu sacred text is the passionate love that God has for his creatures and the longing God has of receiving a return of this love. The entirety of the Bhagavad Gita is an attempt to explicate this unfolding love story, this Great Secret of God to humanity. However, God's relationship to the world—a relationship that is presented to the world in hiddenness—is the occasion of very real pain and sorrow. This concealment of God, which is similarly expres...

Mid-Atlantic Catholic-Muslim Dialogue Nears Completion of Interreligious Education Guides

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:46:00 GMT

WASHINGTON— Representatives of the Mid-Atlantic Catholic and Muslim Dialogue have brought to near completion their multi-year project of two guides entitled Understanding Islam: A Guide for Catholic Educators and Understanding Catholicism: A Guide for Muslim Educators. While final edits will be performed by individual drafting committees, the dialogue participants anticipate that this project will be complete before the group reconvenes in 2013.

The meeting, which is co-chaired by Dr. Talat Sultan of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and Bishop Barry Knestout, auxiliary bishop of Washington, D.C., was held April 11th and 12^th at St. Paul's North American College in Washington.

The draft version of Understanding Islam: A Guide for Catholic Educators was presented at the plenary session by main contributor Sandra Keating, Ph.D., of Providence College. The document, which is intended to serve as an introduction to Islam for Catholic educators, provides an interpretation of Islam that is faithful to how individual Muslim educators understand and teach their religion. Overall, the document provides a brief historical survey of Islam, as well as a description of the holy Qur'an, the rise of the Ummah and Shar'ia law, including its five pillars, and a brief consideration of contemporary issues.

This document was well-received by the Muslim participants who offered the following suggestions to help bring the paper to completion. First, historical inaccuracies need to be corrected and terminological alternatives that are more faithful to the meaning of the Qur'an need to be included. Second, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Jabbar and Dr. Zahid Bukhari urged that the final document will need to de-emphasize its historical tone and incorporate more core Islamic values that communicate an accurate vision of Islam as a dynamic and living tradition for the world.

Catholic Communication Campaign Helps Church Evangelize Digital Culture

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:29:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Catholics will have the chance to promote the work of the Church in the worlds of digital and social media, thanks to the Collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC), which will be held May 20 in many U.S. parishes.

The CCC is a National Collection of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

“The projects funded by the Catholic Communication Campaign help the Church evangelize the digital culture,” said Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati, chairman of the bishops’ CCC subcommittee. “The bishops firmly believe in the importance of supporting good work that allows the Church to keep pace with today’s rapidly changing communications world.”

In 2011, the CCC funded the Virtual World Youth Day pilgrimage, a web-based project that allowed thousands to share in the celebration of World Youth Day in Madrid by registering online, creating a personal “avatar” and following the five-day event through links to video, news feed and other resources.

Support from the CCC also helped Busted Halo, a website sponsored by the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle, reach a new audience with videos that support evangelization and catechesis. Their “Sacraments 101” project provides videos for each of the seven Sacraments.

Fifty percent of the collection stays in the local (arch)diocese to support local communication efforts. To learn more about what the Collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign supports nationally, visit www.usccb.org (search “Catholic Communication Campaign Resources”).

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Don Clemmer

O: 202-541-3206

...

U.S. Bishops Join Call To President To Ban Landmines

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:42:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the Committee of International Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has joined a call from 76 nongovernmental organizations to President Obama, urging the United States to relinquish antipersonnel landmines and join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty without further delay.

“This is a crucial humanitarian decision that should not be put off any longer, or postponed during a busy election year,” the organizations’ representatives said in an April 4 letter. “We urge you to submit the treaty to the Senate this year for its advice and consent next year.”

The letter comes as the Obama administration concludes the comprehensive interagency review of its landmine policy, initiated in December 2009, and enters the decision-making stage.

Since starting the review, the letter notes, the administration has received letters of support for the Mine Ban Treaty from 68 Senators, 16 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, key NATO allies, retired senior military personnel, dozens of NGO leaders, victims of U.S. landmines, and countless concerned Americans.

It notes that 161 countries are signatories to the Mine Ban Treaty, including every member of NATO except the United States, as well as every member of the European Union, and other key U.S. allies such as Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States is one of only 37 countries in the world that have not joined the Mine Ban Treaty and the only country in the Western Hemisphere aside from Cuba that has not joined.

Signers of the letter included representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, Church of the Brethren, the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, Evangelicals for Social Action, Presbyterian Church (USA), Human Rights Watch, the Islamic Society of North America, Jesuit Refugee Services/USA and Pax Christi USA.

Full text of the letter is available online: ...

Bishops To Secretary Clinton: Lift Cuba Embargo To Promote Freedom

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:40:00 GMT

WASHINGTON—The United States should establish full diplomatic relations and withdraw all restrictions on travel to Cuba to advance the cause of human rights and religious liberty, said the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In eliminating all restrictions on travel to Cuba and establishing full diplomatic relations, Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa said the United States “will be supporting the people of Cuba, our neighbors but 90 miles away, in achieving greater freedom, human rights, and religious liberty plus also engaging a trading partner that will benefit American commerce.”

In his April 17 letter, Bishop Pates welcomed the eased restrictions enacted by the Obama administration last year and said that his participation in the March 26-28 visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Cuba showed him first-hand how continuing this trend will improve the lives of people of both countries.

“Charitable organizations, including those of the Catholic Church, provide essential and life-preserving services to the most marginalized and impoverished Cubans,” Bishop Pates wrote. “The staff members selflessly administering these facilities and senior Cuban Church officials responsible for these programs repeatedly told me that the efficacy of their work was hampered by their inability to obtain products from the United States due to the trade embargo.”

“The Catholic Church in our country and in Cuba has long maintained that greater, rather than less, engagement with Cuba can bring about positive change in that country,” Bishop Pates added.

The full text of the letter is available online: www.usccb.org/about/international-justice-and-peace/upload/Cuba-Letter_final.pdf

---

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

Don Clemmer

O: <...