Urgent Bulletin from the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops on Health Care Reform

The following is an urgent bulletin from the USCCB regarding Health Care Reform.  Click here to download the full PDF.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

3211 FOURTH STREET NE  WASHINGTON DC 20017-1194  202-541-3103  FAX 202-541-3166
URGENT: USCCB NATIONWIDE BULLETIN INSERT
Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform!
Protect Conscience
Ensure Affordable Health Coverage
Allow Immigrants to Purchase Private Health Insurance
As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic bishops continue to make the moral
case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all,
especially the poor and vulnerable. Health care reform should not advance a pro-abortion agenda in
our country.
 On November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed major health care reform that
reaffirms the essential, longstanding and widely supported policy against using federal funds
for elective abortions and includes positive measures on affordability and immigrants.
 On December 24, the U.S. Senate rejected this policy and passed health care reform that
requires federal funds to help subsidize and promote health plans that cover elective
abortions. All purchasers of such plans will be required to pay for other people’s abortions
through a separate payment solely to pay for abortion.
 Outside the abortion context, neither bill has adequate conscience protection for health care
providers, plans or employers.
 These two bills must now be combined into one bill that both the House and Senate will vote
on in final form. Provisions against abortion funding and in favor of conscience protection,
affordability, and immigrants’ access to health care must be part of a fair and just health care
reform bill, or the final bill must be opposed.
ACTION: Contact your Representative and Senators today by e-mail, phone or FAX.
 To send a pre-written, instant e-mail to Congress go to www.usccb.org/action.
 Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices.
Contact info can be found on Members’ web sites at www.house.gov & www.senate.gov.
MESSAGE—HOUSE:
“I am pleased that the House health care bill maintains the longstanding policy against
federal funding of abortion. I urge you to work to uphold essential provisions against
abortion funding, to include full conscience protection and to assure that health care is
accessible and affordable for all. Until and unless these criteria are met, I urge you to oppose
the final bill.”
MESSAGE—SENATE:
“I am deeply disappointed that the Senate health care bill fails to maintain the longstanding
policy against federal funding of abortion and does not include adequate protection for
conscience. I urge you to support essential provisions against abortion funding, similar to
those in the House bill. Include full conscience protection and assure that health care is
accessible and affordable for all. Until and unless these criteria are met, I urge you to oppose
the final bill.”
WHEN: Votes in the House and Senate on the final bill are expected in January.
Act today! Thank You!

March for Life 2010

Urgent Bulletin from the U.S. Bishops on Health Care Reform! Click, here.

March for Life 2010 Sign-up, click here.  Photo’s are here.   Forms are here. Scroll down this page for video. Directions to St. Patrick’s are here.

This year’s March for Life bus trip is right around the corner and the St. Patrick’s Respect Life office is gearing up for another big turnout.  Can you believe this year marks  the 37th annual March for Life?  And after all these years the March for Life is still the biggest annual march and rally that takes place in Washington, D.C. with over 300,000 participants.  Also, did you know that almost two-thirds of those who attend the March for Life are confirmation age and young adults?  Praise Jesus for that!!

Sign-up for the March for Life 2010 Pilgrimage by clicking here.  Review schedule and details of the trip by clicking here.  View photos from our past March for Life Pilgrimages by clicking here.  Find all forms by clicking here. Directions to St. Patrick’s are here.

The first order of business is to thank all those who took the pilgrimage to the March for Life in 2009.  Each one of you acted with courage and guidance from the Holy Spirit.  You were an awesome sight to see, all 100 of you in a sea of 300,000,  marching peacefully and respectfully up Constitution Avenue.  And because of your presence at the March for Life our representatives are taking notice!  Last year over 25 Congressmen and Senators spoke at the pre-march rally on the Capitol Mall, pledging their commitment to protect all human life, from conception to natural death. And this year more Congressmen and Senators are expected to speak at the pre-march rally!

Since the polling question was first asked in 1995, more American’s, today, consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice.

In the last year there has been a shift in how Americans view abortion.  Since the polling question was first asked in 1995, more American’s consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice.  And as those who have attended the March for Life over the past few years can attest, this is not a temporary shift but a trend.  And in the words of Martha Stewart, this trend is a “good thing”.   This year’s March for Life takes on even more importance due the current health care legislation from the U.S. Senate which the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calls, “unacceptable”, due to the language for federal funding of abortion.  If there was a year that your presence was needed at the March for Life,  2010 is it!

Each of us is Willed, each of us is Loved, each of us is Necessary.

~ Pope Benedict XVI

In that light, the Respect Life Office has started the sign-up for the 2010 March for Life bus trip.  St. Patrick’s Church will underwrite the cost of the bus for all those who wish to take the pilgrimage.  More details will follow in next week’s bulletin and the basic information of the trip is below.  Note, as of Sunday, January 3rd, a website has been setup with a sign-up form, detailed information and contact information.  You may contact Respect Life Office leader Jeffrey Moore at (516) 322-5225.

Change Hearts, Save Lives at the March for Life 2010

Pilgrimage on January 22nd, 2010

Length: Day trip

Cost to you: Free

March for Life Confirmation Video (Set speaker level to low before you start the video)