The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) is the public policy voice of the bishops of Washington state, and the WSCC bishops would like to hear what your top Catholic advocacy priorities are. Participate in this brief survey to let the bishops know which policy priorities you are interested in advocating for. The survey takes only about two minutes to complete. This link may be shared with other members of the Catholic Church in Washington. Thank you for making your voice heard and for participating in the survey.
Tell Congress to refrain from using taxpayer money to fund abortions. Sign this USCCB petition and click here to send a message Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and your US Congress member to urge them to support longstanding, bipartisan pro-life policies. The House Committee on Appropriations is currently marking up the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) and State Foreign Operations (SFOPs) appropriations bills. These bills exclude longstanding provisions that prevent taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions. Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chair of the USCCB Committee of Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop David Malloy, chair of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, released a statement calling on the US House Appropriations Committee to refrain from eliminating provisions that prevent taxpayer funding of abortions. Check out these USCCB resources to learn more about preventing the use of taxpayer funds for abortions.
Despite hurdles of poverty and political unrest affecting the Catholic Church in Africa, the Church has tripled in size in Africa in the past 30 years. To sustain this growth and expand pastoral outreach, the USCCB Subcommittee on the Church in Africa recently approved $1.36 million in grants for 56 pastoral projects in Africa. These grants are made possible through the generosity of Catholics contributing to the Solidarity Fund for the Church In Africa. Learn more here.
In 2019 the Trump administration implemented Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), commonly known as the "Remain In Mexico" policy, whereby asylum seekers were returned to Mexico, facing dangerous and inhumane conditions as they awaited adjudication of their cases. The Biden administration ended this practice on June 1. Consequently, on June 21 the Supreme Court dismissed a case and denied a motion for another case challenging the now moot Migration Protection Protocols. The USCCB, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, and Catholic Charities USA filed an amicus curiaebrief arguing that MPP is contrary to domestic and international law and contrary to Catholic social teaching, which calls for migrants to be welcomed and protected in accordance with their God-given dignity. In response to the Supreme Court decisions, Bishop Mario Dorsonville, chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration, issued a statement, " . . . we must work as a nation to welcome the newcomer and respond to those in need with Christ-like compassion. This includes ending the misuse of Title 42 to turn away vulnerable asylum seekers, addressing the root causes of migration, and reforming our bogged down immigration system."
Empower Washington is a cross-party movement working to put families at the center of our education system, giving families the power to decide how to spend education dollars. Empower Washington's goal is to give families the opportunity to choose schools for their children, including Catholic schools. Visit their website or contact Quentin Orem at quentin@empowerwashington.org for more information.
Supporting Catholic schools is one the legislative priorities of the bishops of Washington state. For more information about how the WSCC works for Catholic schools, you are invited to read our quarterly Catholic Schools Newsletter, designed for Catholic School parents, educators, families, and supporters.
Schweitzer Haven is one of the cooling centers that opened last month. Credit: Catholic Charities
As Washington state reached record-breaking temperatures last month, Catholic Charities (CC), Catholic Community Services (CCS), and Catholic Housing Services (CHS) mobilized to assist those in need. In eastern Washington, Catholic Charities opened cooling centers at five of their housing complexes. In western Washington, Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services also made extra effort to ensure their residents and clients were safe, opening cool community and gathering rooms in CCS and CHS buildings and going door-to-door to check on residents. Thank you to Catholic Charities, Catholic Community Services, and Catholic Housing Services for caring for vulnerable populations every day and during emergencies.
A member of the WSCC staff for nearly three years, Tracey Wilson Yackley has assumed a new role as our Operations Manager. In addition to administrative and compliance functions, Tracey has now taken on larger roles in the planning and management of special projects and events and in social media and communications. The WSCC is thankful for the many talents Tracey brings to our team!
Mario Villanueva, Executive Director mario.villanueva@wacatholics.org
Adrienne Corpuz Joyce, Director of Policy and Communications adrienne.joyce@wacatholics.org
Tracey Wilson Yackley, Operations Manager tracey.yackley@wacatholics.org
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