This week, the House Committee on Appropriations will mark up the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill, which currently excludes the 46-year-old Hyde Amendment and other longstanding, bipartisan provisions including the Weldon Amendment. Eliminating these provisions would force taxpayers to pay for elective abortions and force health care providers and professionals to perform and refer for abortion against their deeply-held beliefs, as well as force employers and insurers to cover and pay for abortion.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement expressing deep concerns, saying:

“This is the most extreme pro-abortion appropriations bill that we have seen, effectively mandating healthcare professionals to participate in abortion, and forcing American citizens to pay for abortion with their tax dollars…We implore the House Committee on Appropriations to reverse course on these bills that currently expand taxpayer funding of abortion, and to restore the longstanding, bipartisan Hyde provisions and Weldon Amendment that have saved millions of lives and protected conscience rights.”

The full statement can be read here.

Without the Hyde Amendment and Hyde-related policies, billions of taxpayer dollars could be used to pay for abortion in the United States and throughout the world. Eliminating the Weldon Amendment would be an egregious violation of conscience rights by forcing individuals and entities to perform, pay for, or otherwise participate in an abortion against their beliefs. 

Don’t let our government make you pay for, or participate in, the taking of innocent human life.

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NOW

Congress needs to hear from you: tell Congress to keep the Hyde Amendment and other Hyde-related policies, and the Weldon Amendment in the appropriations bills, and to oppose any bill that expands taxpayer funding of abortion.

To learn more, click here and here.

Governor Cooper has vetoed legislation that would ban abortions due to a Down syndrome diagnosis. The NC House has scheduled a vote to override the Governor’s veto on July 21st, the NC Senate would also need to override the Governor.

At least 30 votes are required in the Senate to override a governor’s veto, as well as at least 72 in the House. The Senate is made up of 28 Republicans and 22 Democrats, while the House has 69 Republicans and 53 Democrats. The Senate approved HB453 on June 10 with no Democratic “yes” votes. The House approved the bill May 6 with six Democrats voting yes.

Bishop Zarama has expressed his appreciation to lawmakers for this legislation as it supports the “dignity and sanctity of human life.”

Please contact your North Carolina representatives and urge them to override the Governor’s veto:

Urgent: Ask the NC General Assembly to vote to OVERRIDE Governor Cooper’s veto of HB453 (The Human Life Non-Discrimination Act)

Religious Freedom Week in the United States begins on Tuesday, June 22 and ends on Tuesday, June 29.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has a series of commemorations and prayers for each day of Religious Freedom Week | USCCB that cover both national and international issues.

Solidarity in Freedom

“Solidarity means much more than engaging in sporadic acts of generosity. It means thinking and acting in terms of community” (Fratelli tutti, 116).

Religious freedom allows the Church, and all religious communities, to live out their faith in public and to serve the good of all.  Beginning June 22, the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, the USCCB invites Catholics to pray, reflect, and act to promote religious freedom.

Pray-Reflect-Act

• June 22 – Adoption and Foster Care: Pray that children waiting to be placed in a loving home and the caregivers who serve those children will find strength and support from the Church.
• June 23 – Catholic Social Services during the Pandemic: Pray that God would continue to grant Catholic institutions the wisdom and courage to serve a world suffering the effects of the COVID pandemic.
• June 24 – The Equality Act: Pray that the dignity of all people will be respected in our country.
• June 25 – Church Vandalism: Pray that Christian witness in the face of attacks on our churches will convert hearts to faith in Jesus Christ.
• June 26 – Catholics in Nicaragua: Pray for our Catholic sisters and brothers who are suffering in Nicaragua.
• June 27 – Conscience Rights for Medical Professionals: Pray that governments will respect the consciences of all people who care for the sick and vulnerable.
• June 28 – Christians in Iraq: Pray for Christians in Iraq, and that people of all faiths in the land of Abraham may live in peace.
• June 29 – Free Speech: Pray that Christians will have the courage to speak the truth with kindness and clarity, even in the face of adversity.

In this Month of Mary, please pray the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Life.  

https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/litanies/the-litany-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary

The Response is: Mary, pray for us.

Mary, Mother of all Life,
help us to respect human life from the moment of conception
to the moment of natural death. R.

Mary, Mother of Compassion,
You showed us how valuable a single life can be;
Help us to guard and protect the lives of all people entrusted to our care. R.

Mary, Mother of the Child Jesus,
with St. Joseph you formed the Holy Family.
Guard and protect all families in this earthly life; R.

Mary, Mother Most Holy,
You sanctified the vocation of motherhood;
Pour out your heavenly aid on all mothers and help them to be holy. R.

Mary, Mother of Sorrows,
Simeon’s prophecy foretold that a sword of suffering would pierce your heart;
Bring comfort and hope to all mothers who suffer over their children. R.

Mary, Full of Grace,
You had a choice in responding to God’s call;
Help us always to say “Yes” to the will of God in our lives,
And strive always to do whatever he tells us. R.

Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted,
Pour forth your heavenly grace on all who are in need of God’s healing,
Especially those involved in abortion;
Help them to experience the love and mercy of Christ, your Son. R.

Mary, Intercessor and Advocate,
We lift up the poor, the displaced, the marginalized and vulnerable members of society;
Help them to never abandon hope, but to place their trust in the God who gave them life. R.

Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate, you bore in your womb him whom the heavens cannot contain;
Help us to bear witness to Christ by the example of our lives
And show the world the extravagant love of God. R.

All:
Remember, o most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen.

Call to Action: Tell Your Senators to Oppose The Equality Act   
Cardinal Dolan has asked that we Stand Against Unjust Discrimination and Oppose the Equality Act. “ The Equality Act goes far beyond the noble desire to protect vulnerable people. It burdens consciences, severely curtails the rights of people to practice their faith, smuggles in an abortion mandate, and explicitly exempts itself from respecting religious freedom.“ 

The US Bishops are requesting that we Tell our Senators to Oppose The Equality Act.

Tell your Senators to oppose the Equality Act!

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. The Equality Act, which has now passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is being actively considered in the Senate, in many ways does the opposite and needs to be opposed. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith. The Equality Act would: punish faith-based organizations, such as charities and schools who serve everyone in their communities, simply because of their beliefs; force girls and women to compete against boys and men for limited opportunities in sports, and to share locker rooms and shower spaces with biological males who identify as women; risk mandating taxpayers to fund abortions; force people in everyday life, and especially health care workers, to support gender transition; and expand what the government considers a “public” place, forcing even some parish halls to host functions that conflict with Catholic beliefs.

US Bishops : Urgent Action needed to prevent taxpayer funding for abortion in COVID Relief Bill – contact your Senators now.

Last Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a new COVID relief bill, called the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which addresses the needs of many vulnerable people related to the pandemic. Unfortunately, unlike previous COVID relief bills, this bill appropriates billions of taxpayer dollars that are not subject to longstanding, bi-partisan pro-life protections that are needed to prevent this funding from paying for abortions. The Senate is expected to vote this week.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote to Congress to express its support for additional COVID-19 relief that prioritizes the poor and vulnerable and its strong opposition to any taxpayer dollars going to abortion as part of this legislation, saying that the Hyde Amendment policy must be included before this bill moves forward. Your voice is critically needed today to tell your senators to support amendments that prevent abortion funding, and to work for their inclusion in the final bill.

Take Action – this link provides an easy method to send an email. 

Background: What is the Hyde Amendment and Why is it Important?

Currently, there is no US law that prohibits federal funding (i.e. your tax dollars) from being used to support abortion. To prohibit federal funding of abortion therefore, every financial appropriation of Congress must include a prohibition on funds for abortion – that is the Hyde Amendment. The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding of domestic abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. The Hyde Amendment has been credited with saving nearly 2.5 million lives since its enactment in 1976. Until now, The Hyde amendment has enjoyed strong bipartisan support. On February 27, the US House of Representatives passed the $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan of 2021, without including the Hyde Amendment protections.

More on the Hyde Amendment 

Birthchoice now has an Amazon registry where donations can be selected and sent directly to them: https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/HU06Q6U5LAYO

Wake County AOH Division #1 has a long tradition of supporting Birthchoice, including helping them obtain their life saving ultrasound machine.

Please consider a donation. To do so visit the site, select an item to donate and add a note stating that it is part of the “AOH Baby Shower” using the “Gift Note” option.

Friends and Celtic arts fans, please consider supporting the An Gorta Mor Memorial Pipe Band by participating in their fundraiser box pool.

Each $20 purchase entitles you to a box (combination of home and away numbers) eligible to win each quarter of the upcoming Super Bowl at $100, $200, $300 and $400 for the final.

Boxes will be assigned randomly at the in-person band meeting on Feb 2nd and distributed to all participants immediately after.The funds are earmarked to purchase the bands first drums – a matched set of recently refurbished Pearl pipe band snares.

Thank you for your support and good luck!

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLX01Q91NRRDK/checkout/XXGCGWGXRTUOVQ6LJBBV74UV