• Jewish-Catholic Dialogue Rejects Coercion In Matters Of Faith
  (09-249)
  November 30, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Catholic and Jewish leaders agreed at a fall dialogue that proselytism understood as coercion or manipulation is a corruption of authentic witness to one’s faith.

  
  
  
• Advent/Christmas Season Web Site Offers Resources For Prayer, Reflection; Has Printable Family Activity Calendar
  (09-248)
  November 24, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—For the second consecutive year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has created a Website (www.usccb.org/advent/ ) with suggestions for daily prayer, reading, reflection and action throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons.

  
  
  
• U.S. Bishops Voice Disappointment in Abortion-Funding Provisions in Senate Health Bill, Urge Better Care for Immigrants and Affordability
  (09-247)
  November 20, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the Senate to make essential changes its health reform bill in order to keep in place federal law on abortion funding and conscience protection on abortion, protect access to health care for immigrants and include strong provisions for adequate affordability.

  
  
  
• Catholic Campaign For Human Development Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest Winner To Perform At NCYC For Crowd Of 20,000
  (09-245)
  November 20, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Clare Hagan, an 8th grader at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Louisville, Ken., is the winner of the grand prize in the 2009 Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) Multi-Media Youth Arts contest. CCHD is the national anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
  
  

• John Jay Researchers Offer Update On Causes And Context Study; Early Findings Confirm Steep Decline In Sexual Abuse Cases After 1985, Emphasizethe Importance Of Seminary Training
  (09-240)
  November 17, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Researchers from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice presented an Interim Report on the Causes and Context Study on sexual abuse of minors by clergy at the November assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The bishops called for the Study as part of their response to the sexual abuse crisis when they adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in 2002.

  
  
  

• Bishops Remember Slain El Salvador Jesuits On Anniversary Of Murders, Thank Congress For Resolutions In Their Honor
  (09-239)
  November 16, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—November 16 marks the 20th anniversary of the murder of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador. On this day, Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany, New York, Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) affirmed that USCCB joins many others in "commemorating the lives and work of the six Jesuits and their collaborators."

  
  
  

• Pope Names Bishop Listecki to Milwaukee; Bishop Rhoades to Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana; Accepts Resignation of Bishop D'arcy from Fort-Wayne South Bends
  (09-234)
  November 14, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Jerome E. Listecki of La Crosse, Wisconsin, 60, as Archbishop of Milwaukee, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 51, as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. He also accepted the resignation of Bishop John M. D’Arcy, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese.

  
  
  

• Polish National, Catholic Dialogue Focuses on Clergy Transfers between Churches
  (09-237)
  November 13, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The challenges of clergy transfers between churches stood as a key topic at the annual Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic dialogue, this year at the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania, September 28-29. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of Buffalo and Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the Central diocese of the PNCC co-chaired the meeting.

  
  
  

• Muslims, Catholics Discuss Religion in Public Square at Milwaukee Meeting
  (09-236)
  November 13, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Muslims and Catholics discussed religion in the public square at an interreligious dialogue, October 25-27, in Milwaukee.
  
  The annual meeting of the Midwest Catholic Muslim Interreligious Dialogue was hosted by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Initiatives and the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed of the Islamic Society of North America and Bishop Francis Reiss, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, on behalf the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

  
  
  

• Diocesan Projects Highlight Good Works Of CCHD
  (09-235)
  November 13, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—As the Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) nears on November 21-22, numerous projects in dioceses all over the country reflect the benefits of CCHD funding toward breaking the cycle of poverty. In 2008, CCHD funding involved 776 Catholic parishes, 18 Catholic Charities agencies and 51 religious communities.

  
  
  

• Florida Young Adult Receives National Award For Efforts To Support Farmworkers
  (09-233)
  November 9, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Brigitte Gynther, 27, coordinator of Interfaith Action (IA) of Southwest Florida, is the recipient of the 2009 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award for her role in  supporting and empowering farmworkers from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), as they pursue fair wages, improved working conditions, and an end to modern day slavery in the fields.

  
  
  

• Cardinal George Lauds House Action to Ban Federal Funds for Abortion; Promises Vigilance as Senate Pursues Health Care Reform, Wary About Effect on Poor, Elderly
  (09-232)
  November 9, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, lauded the November 7 decision of the U.S. House of Representatives to block federal health care reform money from paying for elective abortions.

  In a statement issued November 9, two days after the Saturday night decision, Cardinal George voiced thanks that “the Representatives honored President Obama’s commitment to the Congress and the nation that health care reform would not become a vehicle for expanding abortion funding or mandates.”

  
  
  

• Coverage Of Bishops' Meeting Available Via Satellite, Internet
  (09-231)
  November 9, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will work in conjunction with Telecare, the television station of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY, to provide live coverage of the U.S. Bishops’ Fall General Assembly, November 16-19, in Baltimore. This coverage will be “free to air” via satellite.
  
  

• Parishes To Conduct Annual 'Share In The Care' Collection For Elderly Nuns, Brothers, Priests In Religious Orders
  (09-230)
  November 9, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The annual Retirement Fund for Religious national collection will be taken up in most U.S. parishes December 12-13. The collection theme is ‘Share in the Care.’
  
  

• Bishops Urge Passage of Stupak-Ellsworth Anti-Abortion Amendment for Health Reform Bill
  (09-229)
  November 7, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops November 7 urged members of the House of Representatives to vote for the Stupak-Ellsworth Amendment to the health care reform.
  
  

• Bishops To House: Keep Abortion Funding Out Of Health Care Reform, Make Health Care Available To Vulnerable
  (09-228)
  November 6, 2009
  

  Washington—The U.S. bishops sent an urgent message to the U.S. House of Representatives November 6, as House members steeped themselves in debate over procedures related to abortion and the health care reform bill.
  
  

• U.S. Bishops To Vote On Revision Of Ethical Directive On Nutrition And Hydration At November Meeting
  (09-226)
  November 5, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The full body of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will take into account the most recent Catholic teaching on care for the chronically ill and dying when they vote on a proposed revision of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services at their November 16-19 general assembly in Baltimore. The proposed revision states more definitively the moral obligation to provide medically assisted nutrition and hydration to patients in a “persistent vegetative state.”
  
  

• Orthodox-Catholic Consultation Responds To ‘Ravenna Document’
  (09-225)
  November 4, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation finalized a joint response to the international dialogue’s 2007 “Ravenna Document” at their 77th meeting, held at Saint Paul’s College in Washington, October 22-24. Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh and Roman Catholic Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans presided over it.
  
  

• Anglican-Catholic Theological Consultation Looks at Immigration, New Vatican Statement
  (09-222)
  November 2, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The sixty-sixth meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the United States (ARC-USA) took place at the Washington Retreat House in Washington, October 26 and 27. Bishop Thomas Breidenthal of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio and Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana, co-chaired the meeting. It marked the third round of the dialogue focusing the theme, "Ecclesiology and Moral Discernment: Common Ground and Divergences."



• Bishops to Hear Report about Defense of Marriage
  (09-221)
  November 2, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops will hear a report highlighting U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) efforts to promote and protect marriage as the exclusive and permanent union between a man and a woman at their November 16-19 meeting in Baltimore.

  Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, who chairs the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, will deliver the report. Report items include an update on the Committee’s work in catechesis/education and public policy. A key effort includes development of five seven-nine minute videos, to be rolled out with accompanying pamphlets and a related Web site in 2010.



• Villa Stritch Dinner Time of Remembrance for Cardinal Foley
  (09-220)
  November 2, 2009
  

  WASHINGTON—"Villa Stritch was truly a home for me in Rome," Cardinal John P. Foley told a gathering that celebrated the Villa Stritch’s more than 40 years of service to U.S. priests assigned to serve the Vatican.

  The October 25 gathering took place at the Apostolic Nunciature to the United States in Washington and was hosted by Cardinal Francis George, OMI of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia.

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