Texas Catholic Voice May 2022

In this issue of the Texas Catholic Voice:

  • Uvalde and common sense gun control ...
  • Religious Freedom Week ...
  • School choice ...
  • And more!

A Message from Jennifer Allmon, Executive Director

After the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, composing a newsletter to share an update about the various initiatives we have been working on feels unimportant. The profound grief, anger, and pain we are collectively experiencing overshadows everything else right now. Tragedies like this are at their core the result of the brokenness of the human family and no amount of political action and advocacy can fix that. Yet we remain called to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Uvalde in our prayers and our actions to build a culture of life. So it is precisely times like this that we must continue to pray and work for a society that respects and values the inherent dignity of every human person and cultivates human flourishing.

Although this tragedy is still so very raw, we want to reiterate that the bishops have advocated for common sense legislation to reduce gun violence in previous legislative sessions (TX bishops’ letter opposing “permitless carry”) and will continue to do so next session.

Upcoming Dobbs decision

We are anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization sometime in June. After the leak earlier this month of Justice Alito’s draft opinion which overturns Roe v. Wade, there is cause for much hope that the authority to regulate abortion will return to the states. In Texas, this will mean a complete ban on elective abortions due to the passage of the Human Life Protection Act in the 87th Legislature.

Immigration

The bishops recently submitted public comment regarding Rep. Matt Krause’s request to Attorney General Ken Paxton on the question of “Whether the federal government has failed to uphold its obligations to protect Texas from invasion under Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, and whether Texas has the sovereign power to defend itself from invasion?”


School Choice

We are pleased that state leaders are embracing school choice and we look forward to working with lawmakers to craft legislation giving parents the ability to choose the best education for their children. As always, we will advocate for the prioritization of the poor and vulnerable.

Religious Freedom Week

Religious Freedom Week is June 22 through June 29 and the theme is Life and Dignity for All. Each day we are called to pray, reflect, and act on the liberty that allows us to boldly proclaim our faith in the public square and serve the common good.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has social media graphics and other resources available at the link above.

Upcoming Texas Executions

Ramiro Gonzales, July 13

Kosoul Chanthakoummane, Aug. 17

Please join our bishops in praying for those scheduled for execution, for the victims of violent crimes and for all affected, including their families and communities. As the bishops of Texas wrote in their pastoral letter, "May God give us the grace to witness to the dignity of human life. May the Lord console the suffering, protect our community, and grant conversion to those responsible for the inflicting of death and violence upon others."

Prayer for the Legislature

Please pray for all our public servants and elected officials, including our Governor, Lt. Governor, House Speaker, lawmakers, and their staff, that the Lord may grant them wisdom and prudence to work for the common good of all the people of Texas.

papal seal

Pope Francis' prayer intention for June

Families

We pray for Christian families around the world; may they embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.

The Texas Catholic Voice is a publication of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops. For more information, write news@txcatholic.org or call 512-339-9882.