July 2012 Newsletter - Diocese of Monterey

1
July 2012
My Dear Friends in Christ:
Through the Fortnight for Freedom (June 21 – July 4, 2012), we join millions of
our Roman Catholic Brothers and Sisters as well as those of other faith traditions
to pray to SAFEGUARD religious rights and freedoms in our nation.
Bishop’s Corner
On July 4th, we celebrate the 236th year of the birth of this great nation. It was founded on the
principles of human rights which include, fundamentally, religious freedom. This nation was to be a
safe haven for all to practice every aspect of their faith traditions.
I would like to share with you some portions of an excellent talk Dr. John H. Garvey, President, The
Catholic University of America gave to us, some 260 bishops assembled in Atlanta in June.
“I hope to show that the very ideal of religious tolerance – born of the notion that every individual should be free
to believe whatever he wants about God – is one of the principal forces driving us toward the abyss.
I'm just thinking out loud. But it might be that the argument for religious freedom lies farther back than we have
put it. Preserving religious liberty may not be a job for lawyers like me. It may be a job for lawyers like Thomas
More. Our society won't care about religious freedom if it doesn't care about God. That's where reform is
needed. We won't have – and we probably won't need – religious exemptions for nurses, doctors, teachers, social workers if no one is practicing their religion. The best way to protect religious freedom might be to remind
people that they should love God. This is, after all, why we have a first amendment. And why in better times we
have not needed to rely on the Constitution at all, because we could depend on our elected representatives to
respect our liberty.
The tragedy of Thomas More was that he had to die because he loved God. He could not be both a good subject and a faithful Catholic. Our tragedy is different, though it is no less about the protection of religious liberty.
The mechanisms to preserve religious liberty only work when people care about their religion. Religious liberty
will expand or contract accordingly. Saving religious liberty means reminding people that they should love God.
Thomas More taught us that we need religious liberty. More importantly, he taught us that loving God is worth
dying for. If that is so, then the freedom to love God is worth the fight. That's the message we need to get
across. I think that asking people to keep this cause in their prayers during the Fortnight for Freedom is precisely
the right remedy for what ails us. “
May God Bless us all with dignity, respect, freedom and love to carry his message to others.
Bishop Richard J. Garcia
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Birthday/Ordination
Bulletin Board
Department of Respect Life
ATTACHMENTS
Department of Catechetical Ministries

Catechist’s Day

Echoes of Faith

Foundational Initial Mystagogy
(Bilingual)

FIT Foundation Initial Training

Faith Formation Conference
Catholic Charities

Bridges Out of Poverty Workshop
Department of Hispanic Ministry

Tarde para Novios
Salinas / San Luis Obispo

Preparación para Quinceañera
Youth Ministry

Diocesan Youth Day 2012—SAVE THE DATE!

World Youth Day 2013
H
appy Birthday to
our Clergy!
C
ongratulations on the
anniversary of your
ordination
Fr. Ken Brown
Fr. Michael Bell
7/1
7/21 - 51 years
Fr. Alberto Cabrera
7/19
Fr. Peter Crivello
Russell Brown
7/31 - 8 years
7/1
Fr. Claudio Cabrera
Fr. Ron Green
7/11 - 10 years
7/14
Fr. Wayne Dawson
Fr. John Griffin
7/11 - 14 years
7/3
Fr. Thomas Kieffer
7/5
Fr. Pedro Espinosa
7/ 12 - 10 years
Deacon Nick Pasculli
Fr. Miguel Grajeda
7/21
7/5 - 15 years
Fr. Robert Schwarz
7/10
Fr. Ron Shirley
7/22
Fr. Aurelio Ortiz
7/6 - 9 years
Fr. Jose Alberto Vazquez
7/13 - 10 years
In your Charity please pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of
Brother Duaine O’Mara, OSJ & Reverend Leo Matz
Brother Duain O’Mara , OSJ passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 28,
2012. Brother O’Mara was a Religious Brother in the Oblates of St. Joseph
for 49 years.
Fr. Leo Matz passed away on Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012. In your charity
please celebrate three masses for the repose of his soul.
“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let your perpetual
light shine upon them; and may the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen”
Bulletin Board
Parish Budgets Due – July 31st
Reminder – Parish Budgets are due in
the Pastoral Office by July 31st .
Please send them to the attention of
Dona Acuff in the Pastoral Office.
Office of Vocations – located at
St. Joseph’s Church
Corner of Railroad Ave. and Spreckels Blvd.
Spreckels, CA
Mailing address is: PO Box 7158
Spreckels, CA 93962-7158
(831) 455-2249
(831) 455-9357 Fax
Director of Vocations – Rev. Roy Shelly, Ph.D.
Please e­mail or scan and e­mail it Frrshelly@dioceseofmonterey.org
to: DAcuff@dioceseofmonterey.org or Administrative Assistant – Mrs. Astrid Smoot
You may fax the budget to the asmoot@dioceseofmonterey.org
attention of Dona Acuff . Fax # 831 373­1175 Budgets are for the fiscal year beginning
September 1st through August 31st.
If you have any questions concerning
preparing your budget, please contact
Stephanie Mayer at 831 373-4346 or
Tom Riordan at 831 373-4345.
Please let us know of any change of e-mail
address, phone number or fax number:
dacuff@dioceseofmonterey.org
Information Updates for the
Diocesan Directory or Website:
Dona Acuff 831-373-4345, Ext. 234
dacuff@dioceseofmonterey.org
Newsletter Contact
Leticia Flores-McPherson
831-373-4345 Ext. 220
lmcpherson@dioceseofmonterey.org
For the latest Diocesan information, check out our website at
http://www.dioceseofmonterey.org/
The Diocese is also on Twitter and iTunes
@MontereyDiocese and on Facebook – search Diocese of
Monterey
@MontereyDiocese
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DATE:
June 28, 2012
FROM:
Sr. Mary Ann Walsh
O: 202-541-3200
M: 301-325-7935
mwalsh@usccb.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BISHOPS RENEW PLEA TO CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION TO REPAIR
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Supreme Court decision does not address fundamental flaws in the law
Legislation still needed to fix conscience, abortion funding, immigration problems
WASHINGTON-Today the United States Supreme Court issued a decision upholding as a tax
the provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires individuals to purchase a health
plan-the so-called "individual mandate."
For nearly a century, the Catholic bishops of the United States have been and continue to
be consistent advocates for comprehensive health care reform to ensure access to life-affirming
health care for all, especially the poorest and the most vulnerable. Although the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) did not participate in these cases and took no position
on the specific questions presented to the Court, USCCB's position on health care reform
generally and on ACA particularly is a matter of public record. The bishops ultimately opposed
final passage of ACA for several reasons.
First, ACA allows use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions and for plans that
cover such abortions, contradicting longstanding federal policy. The risk we identified in this
area has already materialized, particularly in the initial approval by the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) of "high risk" insurance pools that would have covered abortion.
Second, the Act fails to include necessary language to provide essential conscience
protection, both within and beyond the abortion context. We have provided extensive analyses
of ACA's defects with respect to both abortion and conscience. The lack of statutory conscience
protections applicable to ACA's new mandates has been illustrated in dramatic fashion by HHS's
"preventive services" mandate, which forces religious and other employers to cover sterilization
and contraception, including abortifacient drugs.
Third, ACA fails to treat immigrant workers and their families fairly. ACA leaves them
worse off by not allowing them to purchase health coverage in the new exchanges created under
the law, even if they use their own money. This undermines the Act's stated goal of promoting
access to basic life-affirming health care for everyone, especially for those most in need.
Following enactment of ACA, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has
not joined in efforts to repeal the law in its entirety, and we do not do so today. The decision of
the Supreme Court neither diminishes the moral imperative to ensure decent health care for all,
nor eliminates the need to correct the fundamental flaws described above. We therefore continue
to urge Congress to pass, and the Administration to sign, legislation to fix those flaws.
--Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Affordable Care Act, ACA, bishops, Supreme
Court, conscience
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USNewswire,Sec,DD,Healthcare,Congress,PoliReporters,Radio-religion
FECHA:
Junio 28, 2012
CONTACTO:
Norma Montenegro Flynn
O: 202-541-3202
M: 703-717-2941
nmontenegro@usccb.org
PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA
OBISPOS RENUEVAN LLAMADO AL CONGRESO Y LA ADMINISTRACION PARA
ENMENDAR EL ACTA DE CUIDADO DE SALUD ASEQUIBLE
Decisión de la Corte Suprema no trata fallas fundamentales en la ley
Legislación aun necesita enmendar problemas de conciencia, abortos, e inmigración
WASHINGTON-Hoy la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos emitió una decisión que ratifica
como un impuesto una cláusula del Acta de Cuidado de Salud Asequible (ACA) que exige a los
individuos la compra de un plan de salud-conocido como el "mandato individual."
Por casi cien años, los obispos católicos de los Estados Unidos han sido y continúan
siendo constantes defensores de una reforma al cuidado de salud integral para asegurar acceso a
cuidados de salud dignos para todos, especialmente los mas pobres y vulnerables. Aunque la
Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos (USCCB) no participó en estos casos y no
adoptó una posición en las preguntas específicas presentadas al tribunal supremo, la postura de
USCCB sobre la reforma al sistema de salud generalmente y en particular sobre ACA es un
asunto de dominio publico. Los obispos a la larga se opusieron a la aprobación final de ACA por
varias razones.
Primero, ACA permite el desembolso de fondos federales para pagar por abortos
opcionales y para planes de seguro que cubren esos abortos, contradiciendo reglamentos
federales previamente establecidos. El riesgo que identificamos en esta área ya se ha
materializado, particularmente en la aprobación inicial por el Departamento de Salud y Servicios
Humanos (HHS) de grupos de individuos de "alto riesgo" que tenían poco acceso a seguros y que
habrían tenido acceso a abortos.
Segundo, el Acta no incluyó lenguaje necesario para proveer protecciones esenciales
para el ejercicio de la conciencia en y más allá del contexto del tema de abortos. Hemos
presentados análisis extensivos sobre las fallas de ACA con respecto a los abortos y la
conciencia. La falta de protecciones de derechos de conciencia establecidas por ley, aplicables a
los nuevos preceptos de ACA se han ilustrado de manera extensa por el mandato de "servicios
preventivos" de HHS, que obliga a empleadores religiosos y otros a proveer cobertura de
esterilización y anticonceptivos incluyendo medicamentos abortivos.
Tercero, ACA falla al no dar trato justo a trabajadores inmigrantes y sus familias. ACA
los deja en peor situación al no permitirles comprar cobertura de seguro de salud, aun por su
propia cuenta, bajo las nuevas opciones de acceso creadas por la ley. Esto socava la meta
presentada por el Acta de promover el acceso a cuidados básicos de salud para todos
especialmente los más necesitados.
Tras la promulgación del ACA, la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos
no se ha unido a esfuerzos por rechazar la ley completamente, y no lo hacemos hoy. La decisión
del tribunal supremo no disminuye la importancia moral de asegurar acceso digno a cuidados de
salud para todos, ni elimina la necesidad de corregir las fallas fundamentales ya descritas. Por lo
tanto, continuamos urgiendo al Congreso a aprobar y a la Administración a ratificar leyes que
corrijan esas fallas.
Etiquetas: Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos, Acta de Cuidado de Salud
Asequible, ACA, obispos, Corte Suprema, consciencia
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