WELCOME
...to the Catholic Conference of Ohio website!

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is the official representative of the Catholic Church in public matters affecting the Church and the general welfare of the citizens of Ohio.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Readings and Psalms for May

Catholic Conference of Ohio Page on Human Trafficking

"The Catholic Church cautions that the passion for gambling can become enslavement. In a few short years, Ohio has gone from allowing only low-stakes, time restricted charitable gaming to widespread gambling. Ohio ought not pursue the legitimizing of more gambling. As a result, we support legislative efforts aimed at restricting and even closing the so-called internet cafes and/or sweepstakes parlors."

Full Catholic Conference of Ohio Statement on Internet Gambling Cafes

April 23, 2013: Ohio Bishops Issue Joint Letter Calling for Federal Immigration Reform

Catholic Conference of Ohio Letter: April 23, 2013

Send a Justice for Immigrants Postcard to Congress

Catholic Conference Page on Immigration

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Call for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

April 17, 2013: Catholic Conference of Ohio's Testimony in Support of SB 23: Adoption Records

April 10, 2013: Ohio House passes Conference Supported Adoption Reform Bill: HB 61

Testimony on Behalf of Accessing Adoption Records and in Support of HB 61 & SB 23

Catholic Conference of Ohio Page on Adoption

Catholic Conference of Ohio's Newsletter E-FOCUS
Includes a special State Budget Focus

April 24, 2013: Senate expected to treat Medicaid expansion as separate reform bill

April 18, 2013: Ohio House Passes Budget. Action Moves to the Senate

House budget actions

Medicaid expansion remains in play with study committee [MORE]

Pro life gains included in House proposal [MORE]

Catholic Conference of Ohio Letter to House members regarding the State Budget: March 22, 2013

Budget comparison document by state agency

Budget comparison by funding allocations

The Catholic Conference of Ohio joins with Ohio Catholic hospitals and Catholic Charities agencies in urging the state legislature to support Governor Kasich's plan to expand medicaid coverage

Action Alert on Medicaid Expansion

Press Release in Support of Medicaid Coverage Extension 3/5/13

Letter to Legislators Urging Support for the Medicaid Expansion: 2/27/13

Letter Thanking Governor Kasich : 2/27/13

Letter from the Catholic Bishops to Governor Kasich 1/28/13

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Backgrounder in Support of Medicaid Expansion: 2/2013

Catholic Conference of Ohio Education Testimony Ohio Senate: 5/2/13

April 26, 2013: Legislative Report: Ohio Advocates for Catholic Schools (OACS)

Action Alert on State Budget Issues Impacting Catholic Schools, Students & Parents

Background Materials on State Budget Issues Impacting Catholic Schools, Students & Parents

Catholic Conference of Ohio Education Testimony on the State Budget Bill: 3/6/13

Catholic Conference of Ohio Page on The State Budget

Ohio Advocates for Catholic Schools (OACS) web page

New! Nationwide bulletin insert: "Marriage and the Supreme Court" (May/June 2013)

New! One Man, One Woman, For Life: Lead Messages on Marriage Redefinition (for clergy, leaders, and lay faithful)

CALL TO PRAYER
FOR LIFE, MARRIAGE AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

The Catholic Bishops of the United States have called for a nationwide effort to advance a movement for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty through prayer, penance, and sacrifice. Catholics across the nation are being encouraged to pray for rebuilding a culture favorable to life and marriage and for increased protections of religious liberty.

• Monthly Eucharistic Holy Hours in cathedrals and parishes
  
• Daily Rosary by families and individuals
  
• Special Prayers of the Faithful at all Masses
  
• Fasting and abstinence from meat on Fridays
  
• A Fortnight for Freedom in June/July 2013

Call to Prayer Resources: USCCB

PRAYER FOR MARRIAGE & FAMILY

God our Father, we give you thanks
for the gift of marriage: the bond of life and love,
and the font of the family.

The love of husband and wife enriches your Church with children,
fills the world with a multitude of spiritual fruitfulness and service,
and is the sign of the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, for his Church.

The grace of Jesus flowed forth at Cana at the request of the Blessed Mother.
May your Son, through the intercession of Mary, pour out upon us
a new measure of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
as we join with all people of good will
to promote and protect the unique beauty of marriage.

May your Holy Spirit enlighten our society
to treasure the heroic love of husband and wife,
and guide our leaders to sustain and protect
the singular place of mothers and fathers in the lives of their children.

Father, we ask that our prayers
be joined to those of the Virgin Mary,
that your Word may transform our service
so as to safeguard the incomparable splendor of marriage.
We ask all these things through Christ our Lord,
Amen.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us.

USCCB Resources on the Defense of Marriage

Catholic Conference Page on Marriage & Family Life

NCHLA has posted an updated Action Alert urging the inclusion of the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940) in upcoming "must-pass" legislation.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Respond to the Proposed Rules regarding the Preventive Services Mandate

The proposed regulation keeps in place a regulatory definition of “preventive” health care which includes items that do not prevent disease, but rather are intended to render a woman temporarily or permanently infertile, and may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Under the proposed regulation, most stakeholders are offered no exemption or accommodation. The proposed regulation creates an exemption that artificially and arbitrarily carves up the religious community into those deemed “religious enough” for the exemption and those that are not, generally excluding those who practice their faith by most visibly serving the common good. Finally, under the proposed “accommodation” for non-exempt religious organizations, plan premiums or the plan, or both, would continue to serve as the source or conduit for the objectionable “services.”

In short, the Administration continues to propose: (a) an unjust and unlawful mandate; (b) no exemption or “accommodation” at all for most stakeholders in the health insurance process, such as individual employees and for-profit employers; (c) an unreasonably and unlawfully narrow exemption for some nonprofit religious organizations, mostly houses of worship; and (d) an “accommodation” that still requires bona fide religious employers that fall outside the narrow government definition of “religious employer” to fund or facilitate the objectionable coverage."

February 1, 2013: Revised Regulations Released Regarding the HHS Mandate:
HHS news release

Contact Congress Today to Protect Religious Freedom


Catholic Conference of Ohio Page on HHS Mandate

Our general mailbox is general@ohiocathconf.org. To reach a staff person, all addresses are first-initial-last-name@ohiocathconf.org. See the Contact Us page for a full staff directory