Life Chain 2013 - October 6 from 2 to 3pm

Life Chain

Once again,  the Respect Life Ministry are asking the people of St. Benedict's Church to give up one hour of their time on Sunday, October 6th from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to hold signs that state "Abortion Kills Children" along Niagara Falls Boulevard near Robinson Road in front of Tops Market. 


This is to remind people driving by what is transpiring in our society and hoping that they also will take action to stop this terrible holocaust.

We will meeting in the Westfield parking lot at 1 p.m. to get the signs and drive to Tops.

Stand up for human life!

October - Respect Life Month 2013

My Dear Diocesan Family,

"Open your hearts to life" has been a favorite theme of Pope Francis and one that has particular urgency today. This year’s theme for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Respect Life Program fills us with encouragement and hope and calls us to love, defend and celebrate all human life. It calls us to joyfully follow the example of Christ, to love without limits, and further, to act on that sense of true Christian charity.

We know that we live in a world full of threats to the sanctity and dignity of human life. However we also know that through prayer, education, responsible citizenship and pastoral care of all human life, especially the most vulnerable and in need of our love, we transform our society into a culture of life; we know that all things are possible in Christ. We can protect the unborn, serve those faced with disabilities, care for the sick and dying, and stand against violence, and we can do so with compassion, charity and justice.

We celebrate October as Respect Life Month, but we are reminded all year round of the sacredness of life and the joy of love. Our Office of Pro-Life Activities and the St. Gianna Pregnancy Outreach Center, along with our pastors and parish Respect Life Coordinators, stand ready to implement this program and partner with each of you in defending and celebrating human life. Together we commit ourselves to the sanctity and dignity of all human life.

Through prayer and through the celebration of Mass and the Sacraments, we can know and love God better and open our hearts to all human life. In the Year of Faith, the focus on the New Evangelization is not only on learning doctrines; it is about learning to live our Christian life fully and bringing Christ’s love alive within us to all we meet.

I invite each of you to join me on Respect Life Sunday, October 6, 2013 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral as we celebrate the Eucharist at 10:30 a.m. It will be signed for the hearing impaired and I look forward to the opportunity to bless babies, expectant mothers and families immediately after Mass. This will be followed by a small socialwith light refreshments.

Be assured of my prayerful and grateful best wishes as together we work to promote all life through love.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Most Reverend Richard J. Malone

Bishop of Buffalo

Gov. Cuomo - expanding abortion in NYS

June 8-9, 2013

My dear diocesan family,

            In New York State, where one in every three pregnancies ends in abortion, it’s clear that we, as a state, have lost sight of these most vulnerable babies.

 

            Governor Andrew Cuomo has introduced a Women’s Rights Bill.  The Catholic Church supports nine out of ten points in this bill. However, one of the points contains  language that would ease restrictions in state law on late-term abortion and runs the risk of broadly expanding abortion access at all stages of pregnancy,  including any child who is not “viable “as viability is defined by the abortionist. It also allows the State Health Department to decide who may perform abortions, which does not limit it to health care professionals.

            This legislation would add a broad and undefined “health” exception for late-term abortion.  It would repeal the portion of the penal law that governs abortion policy such as the criminal prosecution of a person who tries to directly cause the death of an unborn child, as found in cases of domestic violence against pregnant women. This lack of clarity also means that medical and non- medical institutions, such as Catholic Schools and charities, could be compelled by state regulators to counsel or refer people for abortion, or risk losing state contracts and licenses that are necessary for them to continue to operate.  

 

            The position of the Catholic Church through every age is clear:  Life is sacred. Our focus is to enhance and promote the life and dignity of all human beings from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

 

            Please join me and all the bishops of New York in fully opposing this radical measure. Let’s stand together with the leaders in Albany who share our conviction that we have no need for such a bill to become law.  We must defeat this serious attempt to expand abortion. We need to respect women and protect the child in the womb.

 

            New Yorkers need to stand together with the leadership in Albany who share our conviction.  We cannot stand idle.  We must protect our children.  We must act now!

 

            Please contact the Governor and your state legislators today, and tell them not to expand abortion in New York.  You can send your message through the Catholic Action Network website:  N Y S Catholic dot org

 

            Thank you.

                                                                                    Yours sincerely in Christ,

                                                                                                 

                                                                                    Most Reverend Richard J. Malone 

                                                                                    Bishop of Buffalo                             

RJM:mh                                                                              

 

 

   

VP Debate misinformation re: HHS Mandate

DATE: October 12, 2012







FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USCCB RESPONDS TO INACCURATE STATEMENT OF FACT ON HHS MANDATE MADE DURING VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued the following statement, October 12. Full text follows:

Last night, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:

"With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution-Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital-none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact."

This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain "religious employers." That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to "Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital," or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.

HHS has proposed an additional "accommodation" for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as "non-exempt." That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation "to pay for contraception" and "to be a vehicle to get contraception." They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.

USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.
For more details, please see USCCB's regulatory comments filed on May 15 regarding the proposed "accommodation": www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/rulemaking/upload/comments-on-advance-notice-of-proposed-rulemaking-on-preventive-services-12-05-15.pdf---

# # # # #

March for Life 2012

March for Life Pilgrimage - January 22-23, 2012

 

MARCH FOR LIFE 2012 LETTER

update - Dear Marchers, If you made your reservation at the Washington Plaza Hotel and are traveling on the bus with us please make sure that you submit your bus reservation. Let us (the Diocesan Office) know if you are traveling by bus, plane, or driving.  Buses are filling up, make sure that you have submitted your reservation. Have a nice weekend and God bless, Miriam

St. Benedict's Parishioners - if you made arrangements to attend on your own, please let us know. Some reimbursements are available through our Respect Life Ministry. Save your proof of payment.  rectory@saintbenedicts.com or call 716.834-1041.

The March for Life Pilgrimage
Monday, January 23, 2012
Buses depart on Sunday, January 22, 2012
Guest Speaker:  Christina King   BROCHURE

Now accepting reservations! 

Join the Office of Pro-Life Activities from the Buffalo Diocese and hundreds of Catholics, as well as all people of good will, who will gather together to pray and publicly intercede on behalf of the unborn, their parents, families, our communities, our nation and its leaders. We hope that this prayerful presence may open hearts, minds, souls to the fullness of the Gospel of Life in our lives and laws, healing the wounds of abortion.  Seminarians, religious, and youth all seek sponsorships to attend this event and need your support. 

For details and on-line reservations - http://www.buffalodiocese.org/Evangelization/ProLife/YearlyCalendar.aspx