News and Events
from Idaho and Around the World
Local Stories in the Idaho Catholic Register
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Bishop calls on Catholics to protest HHS decision
By Michael Brown
Editor
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BOISE — Bishop Michael P. Driscoll is asking Catholics in Idaho to write to their federal legislators and “speak out for the protection of conscience rights and religious liberty that are essential to the common good of our nation.”
Bishop Driscoll was referring to the Jan. 20 decision by the federal Department of Health and Human Services to maintain a mandate that contraceptives, abortion-inducing drugs and sterilizations be available at no cost to the insured on all health plans.
“This means that health insurers will now be forced to include these immoral ‘services’ in their health plans and that every employer, including Catholic parishes, schools, hospitals, charitable organizations and social service agencies, will be forced to provide and pay for this coverage that is a clear violation of Catholic teaching,” the bishop wrote in a Jan. 27 letter.
“I also urge you to contact your legislators and ask them to do all that is possible to reverse this unconscionable mandate.”
The bishop did not seek a repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which is being implemented incrementally through 2014 to provide health insurance for those who could not otherwise afford it. Rather, he is asking Catholics to demand the reversal of the HHS decision,
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-The complete article can be found here. |
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Catholics asked for input on possible capital campaign
By Michael Brown Editor
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BOISE – Catholics throughout Idaho are being asked to respond to surveys about a possible capital campaign for the diocese.
In a letter sent to pastors and other diocesan leaders, consultants from Guidance in Giving, a nationwide company specializing in stewardship and development programs and currently working with the diocese, are asking Catholics to fill out a survey either in their parishes or available online at the diocesan Web site, www.catholicidaho.org.
The survey asks a dozen questions about possible elements of a “case statement” – the reason for conducting the campaign – and the ability of the person responding to contribute to the campaign. The aggregate goals for six elements total $15.5 million.
“An interview team is currently traveling throughout the diocese conducting personal interviews with every pastor, as well as meeting with other priests, religious, deacons and laity. At the conclusion of these interviews, an evaluation will be made to help us better understand the potential for success for a diocesanwide capital campaign, and if feasible, begin the formulation of a plan of action and recommendations regarding the next steps in implementing a successful effort,” said Bishop Michael P. Driscoll. “Since careful preparation and thoughtful planning are required for any successful venture, diocesanwide participation by our parishioners in this study is a very important factor in making this project a success.”
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-The complete article can be found here. |
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Prayer is essential for building vocations
By Father Caleb Vogel
Vocations Director
for Recruitment
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The only concrete directive that our Blessed Lord gave to the church for recruiting vocations was this: “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’ ” (Mt 9:37). Since Christ is God, and God knows best, then it seems to me that our primary work in the promotion of vocations should be prayer. In this article I will provide you with several ways in which you can assist in the mission of praying for vocations.
Holy hour for vocations
Many of you are already faithful to spending time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Thank you! May I suggest that you regularly use this prayer time to “Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers into harvest field?” Use this sacred time to pray for your parish priest. Pray for our seminarians by name. Pray for those who are discerning. By the way, an excellent thing to pray for is courage. Many young people are considering the call but only those with great courage will step forward.
At the St. Augustine Student Center in Moscow, where I serve as the pastor, we have a weekly holy hour for vocation. This is how we do it: We gather each Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Thursday is a special day for priesthood because Holy Thursday was the night Christ instituted the priesthood and the Eucharist. I expose the Blessed Sacrament. We sing traditional hymns. After a few minutes of silence, we pray a Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Often, we sing the chaplet; the students prefer it sung. |
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-The complete article can be found here. |
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Press Releases |
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Letters from the Bishop Michael Driscoll |
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Lectures from Bishop Zavala |
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