WASHINGTON—The 2010 Catholic Home Missions Appeal calls Catholics to Strengthen the Church at Home. The appeal will be made in most dioceses around the country the weekend of April 24-25.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops March 30 voiced concern for victims of child sexual abuse by clerics and praised Pope Benedict XVI for leadership in dealing with the sin and crime of child sexual abuse.

WASHINGTON—Thousands of new Catholics will join the Church on Easter. Every year, in dioceses big and small, people seeking baptism (catechumens) or to be brought into full communion with the Church (candidates) signal a new springtime at Easter and are a reminder of the power of the Gospel to transform lives.

WASHINGTON—The University of Dayton, in Ohio, has announced that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS) is the recipient of the 2010 Archbishop Oscar Romero Human Rights Award.  The Ceremony will take place March 29, at the Immaculate Conception Chapel of the university.

WASHINGTON—The Department of Communications of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will undergo reorganization, effective May 1.
           
"These changes will allow us to tap the benefits of the rapidly changing media environment around us," said Helen Osman, secretary of the Communications Department.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops called on Congress and people in the Catholic community to make sure promises are kept that new health care legislation will not expand abortions in the United States.

WASHINGTON—The Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the USA (ARC-USA) discussed blessings for same-sex unions and health care decisions during their 67th meeting March 15-16, in Delray Beach, Florida. Catholic Bishop Ronald Herzog of Alexandria, Louisiana, and Episcopal Bishop Thomas Breidenthal of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, co-chaired the meeting.

WASHINGTON—The 2009 annual report on compliance with the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People shows the fewest number of victims, allegations and offenders in dioceses since 2004. Most cases reported to dioceses were from decades ago.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops urged the House of Representatives to fix flaws in health care legislation or vote against its passage in a March 20 letter to House members. The letter was signed by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, chair of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chair on the Committee on Migration. The letter follows.

WASHINGTON—Several Hispanic bishops, joined Bishop John C. Wester, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, in sending a letter to all Representatives in the House urging them to  include immigrants in health care reform.

WASHINGTON—Due to limitations of space and the large numbers expected to attend the Mass for Immigrants, March 21, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Washington, media intending to cover the Mass are strongly encouraged to register with the USCCB Media Relations office. Please contact Mar Muñoz-Visoso at mmunoz-visoso@usccb.org or 202-541-3202.

Washington—A recent letter from Network, a social justice lobby of sisters, grossly overstated whom they represent in a letter to Congress that was also released to media.

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has made available several new resources explaining its calls for essential changes to the Senate health care reform bill. In a March 15 statement, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the USCCB, said that the U.S. bishops would, regretfully, have to oppose the final bill if these changes were not made.

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the largest resettlement organization in the United States, on March 17, marked the thirtieth  anniversary of the 1980 U.S. Refugee Act.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, will celebrate a Mass for Immigrants, March 21, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Washington. The event coincides with the “March for America: Change Takes Courage and Faith” organized by diverse communities of faith demanding comprehensive immigration reform.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following statement on the state of health care reform:

Statement by Cardinal Francis George, OMI

The Cost is too High; the Loss is too Great

The Catholic Bishops of the United States have long and consistently advocated for the reform of the American health care system. Their experience in health care and in Catholic parishes has acquainted them with the anguish of mothers who are unable to afford prenatal care, of families unable to ensure quality care for their children, and of those who cannot obtain insurance because of preexisting conditions.

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Father J. Douglas Deshotel, 58, vicar general of the Diocese of Dallas, and Msgr. Mark J. Seitz, 56, pastor of Dallas’s St. Rita Parish, as auxiliary bishops of the Diocese of Dallas.

WASHINGTON—As part of an effort to address the long-term needs of the Haitian people, the United States needs to extend trade preferences for Haiti,  said Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany, N.Y., Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In a February 19 letter, Bishop Hubbard called on the Senate Foreign Relations and Finance Committees to support the “Renewing Hope for Haitian Trade and Investment Act” (S. 2978) so that it moves quickly through the legislative process.

WASHINGTON—Three hundred church leaders —bishops, priests, religious and laity—from all ethnic and cultural families and walks of life will gather May 6-8, at the University of Notre Dame for the Catholic Cultural Diversity Network Convocation (CCDNC).

SALT LAKE CITY—Catholics and Mormons stand as one in defense of religious liberty, said Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed prayers for all victims of the recent earthquake in Chile in a March 1 letter to Bishop Alejandro Goić, Karmelić, President of the Chilean bishops’conference.