Marking five years since his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, on love in the family, Pope Francis has ushered in a "year" of celebration and deepened reflection on the family. From March 19th all the way through the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome on June 26th, 2022, the Vatican's Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life will be especially promoting the Christian message on the family in light of the challenges of our time. The USCCB is likewise celebrating the year with its own events and resources, which you can find here.
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Help Stop the "Equality Act"! |
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Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. But the mis-named Equality Act would do the opposite in many ways if enacted. By seeking to insert "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" into civil rights laws, it would discriminate against people of faith and impose gender theory in schools, workplaces, charities, shelters, hospitals, doctors' offices, and more. Its provisions could also be construed to create an abortion mandate. USCCB bishop chairmen wrote a letter to Congress on February 23rd explaining their opposition to this bill. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives on February 25th and goes before the Senate for a vote soon.
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The newest episode of the Made for Love podcast covers the resentment that can develop in dating and breakups. Our guests Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak suggest many helpful ways out of that resentment no matter the relationship ups and downs. Then, Kara joins us to talk about Pixar's newest film, Soul (2020), and its many implications (some good, some not so good) for our understanding of the human person, life, and what this is all about. Check out the newest episode here and dig into our growing back catalog here.
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Courage International recently launched a new blog, The Upper Room. As the blog unfolds, members of Courage will share their stories of Christ's mercy in the midst of their experiences of same-sex attraction, members of EnCourage will share their experiences as friends and family, and chaplains (like Executive Director Fr. Philip Bochanski), will share their unique angle in ministering to both.
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Help us learn more about you by answering our quick survey! |
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With which of the following are you familiar?
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Love and Responsibility (1960)
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Theology of the Body (1979-1984)
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More than one of the above
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Other (tell us which one by replying to this email!)
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Legal/Policy Updates
Congress - The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Equality Act on St. Patrick's Day. Chairman Durbin started the hearing by criticizing the Holy See's affirmation that same-sex couples cannot be given ritual blessings. Mary Rice Hasson, consultant to the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, and creator of the Person and Identity Project, was among the witnesses testifying against the measure. (See above to learn more about, and take action against, this very harmful bill). That same week, the House of Representatives passed a resolution claiming to remove the deadline for ratification of the problematic Equal Rights Amendment and reauthorization bills with new terms that'd further the entrenchment of gender ideology in statute.
The New Administration - On March 24th, Dr. Rachel Levine was confirmed as the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health and the first openly "transgender"-identifying individual to hold a Senate-confirmed office in the US. Senator Rand Paul had notably questioned Dr. Levine's philosophy on gender-related medical interventions for children during the confirmation hearing. On March 31st, President Biden issued a proclamation honoring the "Transgender Day of Visibility." Earlier in the month, on International Women's Day, March 8th, he issued two executive orders, one "On Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity;" and another "On Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council."
In the Courts - On March 26th, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling and allowed Professor Nicholas Meriwether of Shawnee State, in Ohio, to pursue his First Amendment claims over being disciplined for not using a student's preferred prefix. Other news in the country's courtrooms has not been as good: On March 4th, a Colorado court ruled against Chrisian baker, Jack Phillips, and allowed a discrimination lawsuit against him by a "transgender" activist lawyer who sought a "gender transition" celebration cake to go forward; the same day, the Washington state supreme court ruled that a Christian homeless shelter could be forced to employ personnel in same-sex "marriages;" on March 5th, the Massachusetts high court similarly held that a professor at a Christian college was not a "minister" and thus could maintain a "sexual orientation" discrimination claim against the school; and on March 29th, 33 "LGBT" students sued the U.S. Dept. of Education in an effort to remove the schools' religious exemptions from asserted "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" nondiscrimination requirements under Title IX.
State Laws - Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee enacted bills to protect women's sports, from competition with males who identify as females, this month. On March 29th, Arkansas also became the first state to pass a bill protecting children from life-altering, gender-related medical interventions. Roughly half the states have been considering such sports or medical bills in 2021, though most have faced a steep uphill battle. Meanwhile, Nebraska's department of education is working to push gender ideology into the elementary school curriculum; but Arizona and Tennessee are advancing bills to limit, or to provide parents more options with respect to, such lessons.
Polyamory - On March 8th, Cambridge, MA, became the second town in the U.S. (after neighboring Somerville, MA) to legally recognize polyamorous domestic partnerships.
International - A Japanese district court ruled on March 17th to redefine "marriage," saying it is unconstitutional to limit the institution to opposite sexes.
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