USCCB Clips

Released 2023.10.26 Pope Francis invited all people of faith to join him on October 27th for a day dedicated to prayer, fasting, and penance for peace and reconciliation in Israel and Gaza. Watch the CNS video: Pope: War is always a defeat. Read the letter from Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to his entire diocese: https://www.lpj.org/posts/letter-to-the-entire-diocese.html

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Read the U.S. Bishops’ pastoral letter, When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women. Catholics For Family Peace Education and Research on Domestic Abuse provides education, resources, and research that help Catholics promote peace within families and to recognize and respond with compassion to domestic abuse. Visit https://www.catholicsforfamilypeace.org/ to learn more and download resources.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has been participating in the assembly of the Synod of Bishops and shared with CNS some of his thoughts about the monthlong experience. Read “USCCB president talks about his synod experience.” Participants in the Synod on Synodality have approved a Letter to the People of God giving thanks for their experience, detailing the work of the past few weeks, and expressing the hope that in the coming months, everyone will be able to "concretely participate in the dynamism of missionary communion indicated by the word 'synod.'"

Released 2023.11.02 In response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, renewed his call for peace. Read his full statement: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/statement-us-bishops-international-justice-and-peace-chairman-continued-violence-holy

As war continues in Ukraine, the Holy See has expressed its ongoing commitment to pursuing peace. We spoke with Bishop Vitaly Kryvytsky about his experience as bishop of Kyiv-Zhytomyr. Learn about the Collection for The Church in Central and Eastern Europe: https://www.usccb.org/committees/church-central-eastern-europe

November is Native American Heritage Month. Learn about the work of the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American Affairs, whose mission is to enhance the relationship of the Catholic Native American/Alaska Native communities with Jesus Christ and His Church in the United States. https://www.usccb.org/committees/native-american-affairs

Since the Hamas attacks earlier this month, and in the wake of boldly proclaimed rhetoric and the increase of actions of religious hatred in the United States, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Religious Liberty issued a sharp rebuke and called for peace. Read the full statement: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/us-bishops-religious-liberty-chairman-speaks-out-against-religious-hatred

Released 2023.11.09 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2023 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, November 13-16. Throughout the meeting, the bishops will spend time in prayer and fraternal dialogue with one another. Public sessions of the assembly on November 14 and 15 will be livestreamed at https://www.usccb.org/plenary-assembly-november-13-16-2023. Read the press release.

The Catholic Church in the United States celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week November 5-11. Each year, national Catholic organizations, dioceses, schools, and local parish communities sponsor events and provide different resources to raise awareness for vocations, and help those who are discerning a vocation, particularly one to ordained ministry or consecrated life. Read the press release. Learn about the work of the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations at https://www.usccb.org/committees/clergy-consecrated-life-vocations.

On the weekend of November 18-19, Catholics across the United States are asked to respond to Pope Francis’ World Day of the Poor by giving to the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). This special annual collection supports the U.S. bishops’ anti-poverty and social justice program established a half-century ago. It assists poor and marginalized populations in communities across the United States. Read Pope Francis’s message for the World Day of the Poor at https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/poveri/documents/20230613-messaggio-vii-giornatamondiale-poveri-2023.html.

Learn more about the work of CCHD at https://www.PovertyUSA.org

Released 2023.11.14 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered for the 2023 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, November 13-16. Among the speakers were Apostolic Nuncio to the United States Cardinal Christophe Pierre and President of the USCCB Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio.

Watch the livestream and read related materials at https://www.usccb.org/plenary-assembly-november-13-16-2023.

Catholic Current also spoke with recent delegates to the Synod on Synodality about their experience in Rome. Learn more about the Synod on Synodality at https://www.usccb.org/synod.

Released 2023.11.15 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered for the 2023 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, November 13-16. Watch the livestream and read related materials at https://www.usccb.org/plenary-assembly-november-13-16-2023.

The Catholic bishops of the United States approved an updated introductory note to the teaching document on political responsibility, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (en Español), as well as new bulletin inserts and video template script. This statement represents the bishops’ guidance for Catholics in the exercise of their rights and duties as participants in our democracy. The updated version and related materials will be posted soon at www.faithfulcitizenship.org.

In October Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, launched a National Catholic Mental Health Campaign. The campaign aims to inspire a national conversation around the topic of mental health and to mobilize the Catholic Church to respond compassionately and effectively to the mental health crisis. Learn more at https://www.usccb.org/mental-health-novena.

Released 2023.11.30 December 3, 2023, the Church begins its liturgical year with Advent, which is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. Learn about the season of Advent, download the USCCB’s daily Advent calendar, and read about the tradition of blessing your Advent wreath.

Advent Calender: https://www.usccb.org/resources/2023-daily-advent-calendar-english

Blessing your Advent Wreath: https://www.usccb.org/prayers/blessing-advent-wreath

The month of November is Black Catholic History Month. Learn about the holy men and men of African descent who are on the road to sainthood and the work of the USCCB Subcommittee on African American Affairs.

https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs/road-sainthood-leaders-african-descent

https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs

Pope Francis, who is recovering from illness, spoke at his general audience this week about the need for peace in Gaza and Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez4LGQNqD14

Released 2023.12.07 The Church continues to celebrate the season Advent, leading up to the celebration of Christmas. Learn about the season of Advent, download the USCCB’s daily Advent calendar, bless your Christmas manger or nativity scene, and pray with the “O Antiphons” of Advent. (https://www.usccb.org/prayers/o-antiphons-advent)

Participating remotely in the inauguration of a Faith Pavilion at the COP28 conference in Dubai, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of present choices for the future of humanity. Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDr2lrtnSV8

Read the statement from Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace: COP 28: U.S. Bishops Call for International Climate Policies that Promote Justice. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/cop-28-us-bishops-call-international-climate-policies-promote-justice

Released 2023.12.15 Pope Francis celebrated Mass this week for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Vatican.

Watch the video from CMS Rome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPGyQFJCivE&t=1s

Read the CNS Rome story: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/message-guadalupe-based-simplicity-not-ideology-pope-says

Released 2024.01.04 This week we talked with Felicitas Brugo Onetti, the Anti-Trafficking Education and Outreach Coordinator in Migration and Refugee Services at the USCCB, about the Church’s work to prevent human trafficking and support survivors. Learn more about human trafficking, how you can help, and pray for the intercession of St. Josephine Bakhita at https://justiceforimmigrants.org/stbakhita/

Released 2024.01.11 Catholic Current talks with Anne Ferreira of the USCCB Pro-Life secretariat about “9 Days for Life,” an annual novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. The novena begins on January 16. Sign up at https://www.respectlife.org/9-days-signup