US Bishops cite concerns
BALTIMORE (CNS) – Fears about laws and changes in regulations on abortion that might advance under a new Democratic-run Congress and White House are the central focus of a statement approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 12 during its annual fall meeting.
The majority of the 830-word, untitled statement focuses on concerns about the possible passage of the Freedom of Choice Act, calling it “an evil law that would further divide our country” and adding that the Church “should be intent on opposing evil.”
It warns against interpreting the outcome of the Nov. 4 elections as “a referendum on abortion” and says “aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans.” (The text of the statement is carried on Page 16.)
The statement was crafted during the bishops’ meeting in Baltimore and involved a total of nearly three hours of discussion during executive and public sessions Nov. 11. Under USCCB policies, statements drafted outside the usual committee approval process may be issued by the conference president on behalf of the bishops.
Among other meeting actions, the bishops approved a statement on the economy, a blessing for children in the womb and a second section of the Roman Missal translation. They gave five task forces the authority to develop Church priorities up to 2011 on issues ranging from strengthening marriage to addressing cultural diversity.
They also approved a budget of $144 million, a 2.25 percent increase from 2008, and they elected a conference secretary-elect and chairmen-elect for five committees: pro-life activities, cultural diversity, communications, doctrine and national collections.
In their statement on the economic crisis, approved Nov. 11, they reminded people that “we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. We are all in this together.”
Adopted in a voice vote, the brief statement released by Cardinal George on behalf of the bishops noted that “hard times can isolate us or they can bring us together.” (See text, Page 13.)
“As pastors and bishops, we see the many human and moral consequences of this crisis,” the statement said. Though the impact of the crisis is greater in some regions of the country, families all across the nation are losing their homes, workers are losing their jobs and health care coverage, retirement savings are threatened and people are losing the sense of hope and security, it continued. Despite some continued criticism that the latest English translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal is plagued by obscure wording and sentences that are too long, the bishops approved another lengthy section of the translation Nov. 11.
Needing affirmation by two-thirds of the 264 Latin-rite U.S. bishops, or 176 bishops, the heavily amended translation of the Proper of the Seasons – made up of the proper prayers for Sundays and feast days during the liturgical year – received 189 votes in favor and 30 against. During the bishops’ meeting in Orlando, Fla., in June, the document failed to receive a required two-thirds majority.
The translation now goes to the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments for confirmation. The first section of the missal came before the bishops in 2006 and was confirmed by the Vatican earlier this year.
To fill a gap in existing prayer books, the U.S. bishops overwhelmingly approved a liturgical service in English and Spanish for blessing children in the womb. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., praised the new blessing as “a tangible way to witness pastorally and sacramentally to the life of the unborn child” and said it could also serve as an opportunity for parishes to bring together expectant couples for mutual support.
The document also must be sent to the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
The bishops later chose the Revised Grail Psalter produced by the monks of Conception Abbey in Missouri for liturgical use in the U.S. The decision also must be confirmed by the Vatican.
In a report to the bishops Nov. 11, Auxiliary Bishop Roger P. Morin of New Orleans explained that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development cut off funding earlier this year to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN, for reasons unrelated to the organization’s current troubles over voter registration and partisan politics.
Bishop Morin, chair of CCHD subcommittee, said the bishops’ domestic anti-poverty program in June suspended $1.13 million in previously authorized grants to ACORN affiliates. The annual CCHD collection in the Archdiocese of San Francisco is this weekend.
Bishop Morin explained that the CCHD action followed the revelation June 2 that Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, had embezzled nearly $1 million from the organization.
In an action related to key priorities established earlier by the bishops, the prelates agreed to grant five task forces the authority to address a wide range of issues.The task forces are on faith formation and sacramental practice; strengthening marriage; the life and dignity of the human person; cultural diversity in the Church, and the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. The task forces are expected to come back to the 2009 fall general assembly with detailed reports.
