Contacting Congress
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has several “action alerts” to help you easily contact your members of Congress on issues with moral import, including food stamps in the Farm Bill, and IVF technology. Take a look.
Messages in your own words can be more effective. Please consider customizing the samples with your own story and perspective.
Alleviating hunger
Thanks to those of you who signed the Iowa Hunger Coalition’s Summer-EBT petition to the governor’s office. More than 3,500 Iowans signed on. The petition asked the governor to ensure that Iowa participates in Summer EBT next year, which would provide $120 in nutrition benefits to 245,000 low-income children in Iowa during the summer.
Gov. Reynolds announced last week the state will ask for a waiver regarding the Summer EBT program. The money would be used for the distribution of food boxes instead of money on a debit card for food. The state’s plan is projected to serve 300,000 children. We will see if the U.S. Department of Agriculture approves the waiver and what will happen if they don't.
Protecting the human dignity of migrants
We ask you to consider signing our petition in solidarity with the bishops of Iowa and Pope Francis, who see the migrant as not simply a brother or sister in need, but “Christ himself, who knocks at our door.” The petition invites us to support the human dignity of migrants.
The courts have stopped enforcement of the state’s new “illegal re-entry” law for now. Oral arguments on the challenge to the law will take place in the federal Eighth Circuit Court next month.
Court dismisses ‘heartbeat’ case
The Polk County District Court has granted Planned Parenthood and ACLU’s request to dismiss the “heartbeat” abortion ban case. So that case has concluded unless they refile.
Pulse Life Advocates has posted a video of the Iowa March for Life rally. Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines provided the opening comments connecting respect for all human persons to an integral ecology.
Praying for political leaders
Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of praying for political leaders, inviting us to join him in praying for this intention this month. In the video accompanying his message, produced by his Worldwide Prayer Network, the Pope reminds us that we cannot “move ahead toward universal fraternity without good politics,” and to be grateful for “the many politicians who carry out their duties with a will to serve, not of power, who put all their efforts toward the common good.”
Even though “politics doesn’t have a very good reputation” today, Pope Francis invites us to see politics as “one of the highest forms of charity,” in search of the common good.
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