WASHINGTON (November 30, 2010)—The new president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace have urged the United States Senate to ratify the New START Treaty. The treaty, signed by President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on April 8, would reduce the nuclear arsenals of both countries by 30 percent.

“The Church’s concern for nuclear weapons grows out of its commitment to the sanctity of human life,” wrote Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany, New York, in a November 29 letter to the Senate. “Consistent with Catholic teaching, the Holy See and the U.S. bishops have long supported reducing the number of nuclear armaments, preventing their spread to other nations, and securing nuclear materials from terrorists. For decades they have promoted the twin and interrelated policy goals of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We understand this is an ideal that will take years to reach, but it is a task which our nation must take up with renewed energy.”

WASHINGTON (November 29, 2010) — The U.S. bishops commended a resolution in the House of Representatives that condemns recent attacks on religious minorities in Iraq and calls for the U.S. government to work with the Iraqi government to protect these vulnerable groups.

In a November 29 letter to the sponsors of House Resolution 1725, Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany, New York, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, co-adjutor archbishop of Los Angeles and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, called for its immediate passage.

WASHINGTON (November 23, 2010)—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions has announced its 2011 grantees. A total of 362 projects in 88 “home mission” dioceses were approved at the subcommittee’s meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 27-28. Grants were made to 73 Latin dioceses and 15 Eastern Catholic eparchies.

WASHINGTON (November 22, 2010) — Due to the small number of seminarians and available priest faculty, the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Leuven, Belgium, has announced its closure in June 2011. The announcement was made to the seminary community immediately after the decision was made by the board of bishops of the American College and confirmed by the body of bishops at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) General Assembly on November 17, in Baltimore.

WASHINGTON (November 19, 2010) — Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California, has been named the new chairman of the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the domestic anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The appointment was announced November 17, during the executive session of the Fall General Assembly of the USCCB.

WASHINGTON (November 18, 2010) — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is continuing its tradition of providing online resources for the Advent and Christmas seasons with suggestions for daily prayer, reading, reflection and action.

As a special spiritual gift this season, USCCB is providing a downloadable book of scriptural reflections for Advent and Christmas featuring the words of Pope Benedict XVI from his homilies, speeches and other addresses during his papacy.

WASHINGTON (November 18, 2010) — After meeting in Baltimore for the annual Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Committee on Divine Worship issued a statement affirming the timeline of the implementation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition.

In the statement, Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, New Jersey, outgoing chairman of the committee, said “there is assurance that the published text will be available in more than ample time for implementation in Advent 2011. It is good to note also that the catechetical preparation for implementation is already underway and has proceeded with much enthusiasm and wide acceptance by both clergy and laity. It is clear at this point in time that there is an attitude of openness and readiness to receive the new text.” The full statement is available on the USCCB’s Divine Worship homepage: www.usccb.org/liturgy.

WASHINGTON (November 18, 2010) — Bishop Roger Morin of Biloxi, Mississippi, chairman of the Subcommittee for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the anti-poverty program of the U.S. bishops, reported on the recent steps by his committee and a workgroup of bishops to review and renew the policies and practices of the program. He made this report November 15 at the annual Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Baltimore. Joining him for the presentation of the report were Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Bishop Terry Steib of Memphis, Tennessee, and Bishop Frank Kane, auxiliary of Chicago.

WASHINGTON (November 18, 2010) — Catholics across the United States will join together to “Share in the Care” of senior religious as part of the annual collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious (RFR), to be taken up in most parishes December 11-12. The collection, coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, provides financial support for the day-to-day care of thousands of elderly Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests.

WASHINGTON (November 17, 2010) — Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, has been appointed chairman of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Board of Directors. Cardinal Francis George, OMI, of Chicago, outgoing president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), made the appointment with the full support of USCCB president-elect Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York during executive session of the USCCB’s annual Fall General Assembly in Baltimore.

WASHINGTON (November 16, 2010) — Deirdre McQuade, spokesperson for the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Preventive Services for Women as they convened for the first time on November 16th. She urged them not to recommend contraception or sterilization among mandated “preventive services” to be announced next August by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the Department implements the new health care act.

BALTIMORE (November 16, 2010) — The U.S. bishops elected Msgr. Ronny Jenkins, a canon lawyer and priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, as the new general secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The election was part of the bishops’ annual Fall General Assembly. The general secretary is the priest who oversees the day-to-day operations of the USCCB on behalf of the U.S. bishops. Also on the ballot was Msgr. David Kagan, vicar general of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois.

BALTIMORE (November 16, 2010) — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) elected Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York as their new president and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky vice president at their annual Fall General Assembly.

BALTIMORE (November 15, 2010) — After the terrible earthquake that last January devastated Haiti and buried almost 300,000 people beneath the rubble, U.S.  Catholics responded with remarkable generosity, reported Bishop Kevin Farrell, chairman of the USCCB Committee on National Collections, during his opening remarks on the first day of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Fall General Assembly. The bishops heard a comprehensive report on the “One-Church” response to the Haiti earthquake which highlighted the breadth of the Church’s response and the collaborative effort it demanded.

BALTIMORE (November 15, 2010) — The Catholic Church faces an urgent call to evangelize the new “digital continent” of social media, according to a presentation to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at their annual Fall General Assembly. Bishop Ronald Herzog of Alexandria, Louisiana, a member of the USCCB Communications Committee, delivered the presentation November 15.

“Although social media has been around for less than 10 years, it doesn’t have the makings of a fad,” said Bishop Herzog. “We’re being told that it is causing as fundamental a shift in communication patterns and behavior as the printing press did 500 years ago. And I don’t think I have to remind you of what happened when the Catholic Church was slow to adapt to that new technology,” he said, referencing the Protestant Reformation.

BALTIMORE (November 15, 2010) — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) affirmed by acclamation during their annual Fall General Assembly a November 9 letter from Chicago Cardinal Francis George, OMI, USCCB president, to President Obama regarding the recent violence against Christians in Iraq.

“The October 31 attack on the Syrian Catholic Cathedral in Baghdad shocked and horrified the Catholic community and all people of goodwill,” said Cardinal George in remarks to the bishops.

WASHINGTON (November 11, 2010) — At their Fall General Assembly, November 15-18, the U.S. bishops will receive an update on the situation in Haiti and the U.S. Catholic Church’s emergency relief efforts so far, as well as plans to aid long-term reconstruction, including  rebuilding of Church structures.
           
As it begins funding of Church reconstruction projects in Haiti, the Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) recently adopted two documents that will help guide the work of the Subcommittee in this regard.

WASHINGTON (November 11, 2010) — With the National Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) coming up the weekend of November 20-21, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a video for use at the diocesan and parish levels, to help explain the work of CCHD and the work it funds to help low-come people address the causes of poverty.
           
“Meet Mary: About the Catholic Campaign for Human Development,” is a three-minute animated video that follows a school teacher named Mary, who lives in a neighborhood caught in the cycle of poverty. Mary encourages her neighbors to come together to address community issues starting with the safety of children after school. As the neighbors begin to work together, they apply for and receive a grant from CCHD. The video explains the process and principles behind CCHD and, with the fictional Mary, gives an example of the community transformation it funds.

WASHINGTON (November 11, 2010) — The Pontifical Council for Social Communications has released information for broadcasters regarding worldwide telecasts of the ceremonies presided over by Pope Benedict XVI on Christmas and New Year's Day. All times are UTC/GMT (Coordinated Universal Time/Greenwich Mean Time).

WASHINGTON (November 10, 2010) — Following the October 31 assault on the Syrian Catholic cathedral in Baghdad and subsequent violence, Chicago Cardinal Francis George, OMI, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged President Obama to “take additional steps now to help Iraq protect its citizens, especially Christians and others who are victims of organized attacks.”

“Having invaded Iraq, our nation has a moral obligation not to abandon those Iraqis who cannot defend themselves,” Cardinal George wrote in a November 9 letter.

WASHINGTON (November 10, 2010) —The Midwest Catholic-Muslim Dialogue gathered in Milwaukee for its 14th annual meeting, October 25-26, to begin drafting a report on the role of religion in civic life. The report, which has the working title, “The Role of Religion in Civic Life: Catholics and Muslims Together in the Public Square,” will present the insights of the dialogue’s work over the last three years. Members of the dialogue noted that in the present cultural environment, in which many people are challenging the right for organized religion to participate in public discourse, a report on the issue is timely.

WASHINGTON (November 9, 2010) — Father Daniel Mindling, OFM Cap., has accepted an invitation from Bishop William Murphy and Bishop Roger Morin, the bishops who oversee the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), to serve as a consulting theologian for CCHD. Father Mindling is the academic dean and professor of moral theology at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He currently serves as a consultant to the Committee on Pro-life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the bishops’ Task Force on Catholic Health Care.

“This service connects greatly with my own interest in the life and justice issues facing the Church,” said Father Mindling of his new role with the bishops. “I look forward to working together in this most important ministry.” Father Mindling will provide ongoing consultation on the moral and ethical dimensions of CCHD’s work.

WASHINGTON (November 8, 2010) — Janine Carreiro, executive director of Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC) in Brockton, Massachusetts, is the recipient of the 2010 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award, sponsored by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). She will be honored at a reception Monday, November 15, at 5 p.m. during the bishops’ annual Fall General Assembly in Baltimore.

WASHINGTON (November 4, 2010) — The U.S. Catholic bishops will vote on an agreement with four Protestant communities to mutually recognize one another’s baptism as valid when they meet for their annual Fall General Assembly, November 15-18, in Baltimore. The proposed Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism is the result of six years of study and discussion between the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and representatives from the Presbyterian Church-USA, the Reformed Church in America, the Christian Reformed Church, and the United Church of Christ.

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2010) — The 2010 Catholic Campaign for Human Development Collection is slated for November 20-21 in parishes throughout the United States. Fight Poverty in America, Defend Human Dignity is this year’s theme.
           
“At this time of great economic suffering, it is more important than ever for the Church in the United States, through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ ‘to bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind and to set the downtrodden free,’” said Bishop Roger Morin of Biloxi, Mississippi, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), quoting the Gospel of Luke (4:18). The subcommittee is part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2010) — Religious leaders and young adults from Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh traditions will meet for a day of dialogue and interreligious exchange at the John Paul II Cultural Center, November 19, at “Generations of Faith—an Interreligious Encounter.” The day will feature intergenerational dialogue in a variety of formats and concludes with a reception and presentation at 6 p.m. at the John Paul II Cultural Center. The evening event is open to the public and members of the media.

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2010) — David Suley, director of the Catholic Home Missions Appeal at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been awarded the “Father George Mader Award” for his support of mission work. The Catholic Volunteer Network presented him with the award October 29, at the 2010 Mission Congress in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2010) — Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), offered the prayers of the U.S. bishops and expressed solidarity with the suffering Christians of Iraq following the October 31 attack on the Syrian Catholic cathedral in Baghdad that killed 58 people and wounded 75.

“We stand with the bishops, Church and people of Iraq in their urgent search for greater security, freedom and protection,” said Cardinal George in a November 1 statement. “We call upon the United States to take additional steps to help Iraq protect its citizens, especially the most vulnerable.”