An Election Year Prayer from Cardinal Burke

An Election Year Prayer

for the Faithful Witness of

Catholics in the United States

O Lord Jesus Christ,
You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
In Your Church You show us the Way,
You teach us the Truth, and You give us Your Life.
Grant, we humbly beg You,
that, always and in all things, we may
be faithful to You in Your Holy Church,
and to Your Vicar on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI.
Grant also, we beg You,
that, in these times of decision,
all who profess to be Catholic
and who are entrusted with the sacred duty to participate in public life, may, by the strength of Your grace, unwaveringly follow Your Way and faithfully adhere to Your Truth, living in You with all their mind and heart, for Your greater glory, the salvation of souls, and the good of our nation.  Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America, Pray for us.
Saint Thomas More, Patron of Religious Freedom, Pray for us.

-- By His Eminence Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

60 Second Catholic Videos: "Faith Matters" -- from our bishops!

Faith Matters - a sixty-second reflection about faith, family and the issues that Catholics care about. These short messages, recorded by the bishops of California, air on Catholic radio stations around the state.

http://www.cacatholic.org/index.php/take-action/faithful-citizenship/faith-matters

Spiritual reflections from JustFaith Ministries

This image is called "Be Still" from Just Faith Ministries program: STILLPOINT...In the Eye of the Storm.

The website provides reflections carefully crafted to accompany you in your practice of 'engaged presence,' as you draw the world of crying need and awesome complexity into your heart and center.

STILLPOINT in the Eye of the Storm comes in weekly installments each Thursday as reflections, resources and reminders for engaging spirituality in times like these.

Find the blog at:

http://stillinthestorm.wordpress.com/

Video on Living in Poverty from US Bishops

Tour Poverty USA Video from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Catholic Campaign for Human Development: What's life like at the poverty line? It's one impossible choice after another—between food and medicine, getting to work or paying the heating bill. But there are ways out.

Watch the video, join the discussion, learn more at this link: 

http://vimeo.com/35903896#

Catholic Social Teaching on Human Dignity

Catholic Social Teaching: Human Dignity.  “Belief in the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic social teaching. Human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the starting point for a moral vision for society.  The principle of human dignity is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. The person is the clearest reflection of God among us. We are required to honor the human person, to give priority to the person.”  -- Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice, http://www.osjspm.org

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.  --Psalm 10:17

Register to Vote! Deadline Oct 22nd!

Read more at: Register to Vote Online: Deadline October 22, 2012!

"Responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation."  -- Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 

Register to vote online: www.vote411.org

Video of Sr. Helen Prejean on Why Catholics Should Be Against Death Penalty

Sr. Helen Prejean, well-known as the author of Dead Man Walking and The Death of Innocents, told the remarkable story of her spiritual journey accompanying those who have been condemned to death. During her reflection, she recounted stories of faith that lead her to advocate against the death penalty. She spoke of her conversations with Blessed John Paul II who strongly opposed state-sponsored killing. She challenged Catholics who belong to a Pro-life Church to protect the lives of those who are guilty of terrible crimes as well as the lives of the innocent. She asked the assembly, at this historic time, to work for an end to the Death Penalty in California by supporting Proposition 34 on the November 6 ballot. October 7 was designated as Respect Life Sunday by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Why Catholics Should Vote Yes on Prop 34

The California Catholic Bishops are strongly in support of Prop 34 to end the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment with no possibility of parole.  

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops continue their Campaign Against the Death Penalty.  

Why?  

Learn more at this video: 

http://www.safecalifornia.org/news/videos/join-tyt?track=ema_20121013tyt&tag=ema_20121013tyt&utm_source=ema_20121013tyt&utm_medium=ema_&utm_campaign=tytThe

California Bishops Say Prop 34 is Pro-Life

"Pope John Paul II wrote “The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation.  A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil.”  Archbishop Jose Gomez and the Catholic Bishops of California have decided to promote passing Proposition 34 that will replace the death penalty in California with life in prison without the possibility of parole.  Please join them in passing this important pro-life proposition."  

Read more from our bishops at http://tinyurl.com/TopTenProLife