6.16.2023 In this advocacy update from the Office of Government Relations:


  
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
                            
                            
    
  

  
    
      

	  
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
  
    
      
        
          
            
              
                
              
              
                
                  
                    
                  
                
              
            
          
        
      
    
  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
    6.16.2023  In this advocacy update from the Office of Government Relations:
Catholics Invited to Pray an Act of Reparation on Solemnity of the Sacred Heart
USCCB Supports Ending Ban on SNAP Benefits for Returning Citizens
USCCB and CCUSA Urge Increased Funding for Housing Programs
Insight: Religious Freedom Week 2023: Embracing the Divine Gift of Freedom
Trending and Social Media Highlights

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
  
  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
    Catholics Invited to Pray an Act of Reparation on Solemnity of the Sacred Heart
Today, June 16, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty, joined by Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, have called on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart, and make an act of reparation—an act offered to the Lord with the intention of repairing the spiritual damage inflicted by sin.
The bishops noted in their invitation to the faithful, 
“This year, on June 16—the day of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a professional baseball team has shockingly chosen to honor a group whose lewdness and vulgarity in mocking our Lord, His Mother, and consecrated women cannot be overstated. This is not just offensive and painful to Christians everywhere; it is blasphemy.
“It has been heartening to see so many faithful Catholics and others of good will stand up to say that what this group does is wrong, and it is wrong to honor them. We call on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on June 16, offering this prayer as an act of reparation for the blasphemies against our Lord we see in our culture today.”
The bishops' invitation is here.  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
  
  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
    National Catholic Organizations Call on Congress to Eliminate Ban on SNAP Benefits for Returning Citizens
In 1996, after only two minutes of floor debate, Congress imposed a lifetime ban on individuals convicted of a drug felony from receiving SNAP benefits. However, access to SNAP critically helps returning individuals avoid hunger that can increase recidivism risk and cost to taxpayers if left unaddressed.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, chairman of USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, joined leaders from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Rural Life, and the Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition in writing to Congress to urge an end to this ban on SNAP benefits. They write:
"Our organizations support strong re-entry programs across the nation. We help provide the necessary tools – food, shelter, housing, education, mentoring, and workforce development programs – for those who have returned home from incarceration to lead a more productive life. If the federal government wants to truly provide a hand up to those in need and remove barriers to employment and further incarceration, eliminating the felony ban on SNAP benefits should enjoy strong bipartisan agreement." 
The full text of the letter is available here.

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
  
  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
    USCCB and CCUSA Urge Increased Funding for Housing Programs
Photo: Getty Images
As Congress continues its work on appropriations bills, the USCCB joined Catholic Charities, USA in a letter relating to housing priorities within the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. 
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, chairman of USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Anthony Granado, Vice President of Government Affairs for Catholic Charities USA, urge “the highest level of funding possible for housing and community development programs serving families and individuals who are poor and vulnerable.” These programs include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Housing for the Elderly (Section 202), and the HOME Investment Partnership Program.
Recalling the bishops’ long-established position that decent housing is a human right, they write:
"Housing makes up a large portion of family budgets with 10.7 million low-income renter households spending over half their income on housing costs. These families cannot afford to keep up with rent increases. Targeted federal investments in programs that bring down the cost of housing and preserve and increase affordable housing supply can help families maintain stable housing."
The complete letter is available here.

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
  
  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
    Insight
Religious Freedom Week 2023: 
Embracing the Divine Gift of Freedom takes place June 22 to 29 
The Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and celebrates the religious freedom that 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 Ss. Thomas More and John Fisher, the USCCB invites Catholics to pray, reflect, and act to promote religious freedom, with a unique topic for each day of Religious Freedom Week related to this year's theme, "Embracing the Divine Gift of Freedom."  
Topics chosen this year show the breadth of religious liberty issues of concern to the bishops, including respect for sacred spaces, protecting the seal of confession, religious student groups on college campuses, religious freedom in Nigeria and Nicaragua, faith in the workplace, service to immigrants and refugees, and conscience protection in health care. 
More information is available here.  
To connect with the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty, text FREEDOM to 84576 and sign up for First Freedom News, the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty’s monthly newsletter.  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
  
  

                  
                
              
            
            
          
        
      
    
  
  
 
  
  
    
      
        
          
            
            
              
                
                  
                    
    Trending and Social Media Highlights
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    The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB's) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy.  
The Office of Government Relations (OGR) represents the USCCB before the U.S. Congress on public policy issues of concern to the bishops. Please reach out to our team if we can be of assistance to you. 
Lauren McCormack 
Executive Director
lmccormack@usccb.org  
Issues: Religious Liberty; Marriage
Michelle Gress
Director
mgress@usccb.org  
Issues: Pro-Life; Catholic Education
Micheal E. Hill
Associate Director
mhill@usccb.org 
Issues: Immigration and Refugee; Communication; Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism
Ingrid Delgado 
Associate Director
idelgado@usccb.org 
Issues: Domestic Social Development; International Justice and Peace