Catholic Conference of Ohio

During the first week of Ohio’s lame duck period, the time after a general election and before a new General Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 504 would specifically address penalties for disturbing a religious gathering. The bill was introduced in response to protestors disrupting the Diocese of Columbus’ Respect Life Mass and several gatherings of Ohio’s Jewish community. See the CCO’s testimony in support of HB 504 here. The Conference also testified in support of SB 46, which would create an office and commission on Eastern European affairs. The testimony noted the Church’s call to promote and integrate immigrants, and the vibrancy Ohioans of Eastern European origin bring to our Catholic churches.

During the first week of Ohio’s lame duck period, the time after a general election and before a new General Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 504 would specifically address penalties for disturbing a religious gathering. The bill was introduced in response to protestors disrupting the Diocese of Columbus’ Respect Life Mass and several gatherings of Ohio’s Jewish community. The Conference also testified in support of SB 46, which would create an office and commission on Eastern European affairs. The testimony noted the Church’s call to promote and integrate immigrants, and the vibrancy Ohioans of Eastern European origin bring to our Catholic churches.

Today marks ten years since the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created through executive action. DACA allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children—commonly referred to as “Dreamers”—to remain in the country, subject to several requirements. DACA does not provide legal status, nor does it create a pathway to citizenship, but it does temporarily protect recipients from removal and make them eligible for work authorization, among other benefits. DACA was declared unlawful by a federal district court in July 2021, halting new applications and threatening protection for current beneficiaries of the program.

Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s adoption of the budget resolution:

“While Catholic social teaching is implicated by many components of the budget resolution, we are pleased that the resolution sets up an opportunity for many undocumented persons to receive legal status. For decades, the bishops of the United States have been proponents of such reforms..."

TAKE ACTION! Contact Your Senators and Representative Today

Tell Congress NO MORE DELAY! Urge your senators and representative to support the enactment of immigration reform this year by completing these action alerts:

 SENATE action alert
 HOUSE action alert

Members of Congress have returned home for the August recess and are ready to hear what issues are the top priorities for their constituents. It is a critical time to make our voices heard on the issues that matter to vulnerable people in need. This year is particularly important because members of Congress are in the midst of crafting landmark legislation that will fund many key programs that impact Catholic Charities and the people they serve in areas such as housing and homelessness, health care, hunger, poverty alleviation and others.

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Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, issued the following statement in response to the court’s ruling:

“While we are disappointed with this ruling, we know that DACA was never meant to be a permanent solution for Dreamers. This ruling is simply the most recent development in a long list of events warranting action by Congress. The Senate currently has multiple bills before it that would grant permanent relief to Dreamers, including the American Dream and Promise Act passed by the House of Representatives in March...

The Conference testified on the following legislation:

Sub SB 17: Placing additional requirements for receiving public assistance benefits.  Testimony

HB 75: Possible amendment denying workers' compensation to undocumented workers.  Testimony  

HB 110: Education provisions in the budget impacting Catholic schools and students.  Testimony

USCCB Chairmen have issued numerous statements regarding executive actions by the Biden Administration.  To date, statements have commended actions related to COVID, Immigration, Food and Housing, Racism, Peace, and Care for Creation. Serious concerns have been raised regarding policies and statements related to Abortion and Marriage and Family Life.

The bishops along the border of the United States and Northern Mexico have issued a joint statement on the situation at the border of the two countries. 

"As U.S. and Mexican bishops along the border, we witness daily the dilemma that our migrant sisters and brothers face. For most, the decision to migrate is not motivated by an indifference toward their homeland or the pursuit of economic prosperity; it is a matter of life or death. The situation is all the more difficult for children. 

Challenges such as these require humanitarian solutions. Undoubtedly, nations have the right to maintain their borders. This is vital to their sovereignty and self-determination. At the same time, there is a shared responsibility of all nations to preserve human life and provide for safe, orderly, and humane immigration, including the right to asylum..."

The new proposed rules would, among other changes: allow immigration judges to summarily deny applications before the asylum-seeker can see a judge; redefine the term “particular social group” in asylum law to effectively eliminate asylum for those fleeing domestic violence or gangs; and raise standards for initial asylum interviews. 

Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration wrote: “These proposed asylum regulations will have devastating consequences for those seeking protection in the United States who are fleeing domestic violence or persecution from gangs in their home countries..."