Three states consider abortion, religious freedom amendments in midterm vote

Washington D.C., Feb 3, 2021 / 05:01 pm (CNA).- Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the US bishops’ domestic justice committee, praised Wednesday President Joe Biden’s environmental executive orders.

Biden’s executi… […]

New York City, N.Y., Jan 4, 2018 / 05:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The funeral for J.J. Hanson, an outspoken assisted suicide opponent, was celebrated Thursday. He was remembered for his strength, faith, and determination.

Hanson died of brain cancer on Saturday at the age of 36. He is survived by his wife, Kristen, and his sons James and Lucas.

“He [J.J.] was one of the most optimistic persons I’ve met in my life,” said Fr. Joselin Berkmans during the homily at Hanson’s Mass of Christian Burial, held Jan. 4 at the Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Yulan, N.Y., about 90 miles northwest of New York City.

“What a great spirit he had. He never worried about his life, but always wanted to be the hope for all who were around him,” Fr. Berkmans continued.

Hanson’s death was felt by many in the New York area, including Bishop Edward Scharfenberger of Albany.

“As we mourn the loss of our friend and fellow advocate, James “J.J.” Hanson, we choose not to focus on the great sorrow surrounding his death,” Bishop Scharfenberger said on Twitter.

“Instead, today, we choose to focus on the great good J.J. did during his time on earth, especially during the past few years of his life when his battle with cancer became for him an opportunity to show the strength of his faith and the power of love and determination,” Bishop Scharfenberger continued.

In 2014, Hanson was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer, the same illness that led Brittany Maynard to take her own life in California three years ago, and given four months to live.

While given a life expectancy of only a few months, Hanson was surrounded by a positive support group and a loving family. Hanson said that during his darkest moment, he might have opted for assisted suicide, but instead chose to pursue alternative treatments. He lived three years longer than expected.

“Here I am three years later, enjoying the arrival of our second son and living life to the fullest,” Hanson said in October 2017.

Throughout his battle with cancer, Hanson became a passionate opponent of physician-assisted suicide and was the president of the Patients Rights Action Fund, an organization which fights efforts to legalize assisted suicide.

He was also actively involved with the New York State Catholic Conference and the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide, where he fought against the passage of a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide in the state of New York.

Hanson additionally served as a former aide to Govs. Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson.

“He outlived that death sentence by more than three years, giving hope and inspiration to thousands of people during that time,” remembered Kathleen M. Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference, according to the conference website.

“J.J. lived his motto: ‘Every day is a gift, and you can’t ever let that go,’” Gallagher continued.

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CNA Staff, Oct 1, 2020 / 04:59 pm (CNA).- Ahead of the U.S. presidential election, the Diocese of Phoenix is hosting its biennial legislative seminar encouraging Catholics to form their consciences in order to help fulfill their responsibility as citizens.

The Catholics in the Public Square seminar will be held virtually on the morning of Oct. 3, hosted by the Diocese of Phoenix and Bishop Thomas Olmsted, in conjunction with the Catholic Women of Phoenix and the Knights of Columbus.

“There is a growing division in our state and in our country, especially in recent months,” said Olmsted in an August promotional video. “As we approach the fall elections, what we must never forget, however, is that God remains with us and has a plan and responsibility for each of us to be faithful Catholics and loyal responsible citizens.”

The seminar will be live-streamed on the diocese’s Youtube and Facebook pages. The event has taken place every two years since Olmsted became bishop in 2004, and it typically attracts around 400 attendees.

The seminar will begin at 9:30 a.m. with Mass celebrated by Olmsted. It will continue with speeches from religious freedom experts including Helen Alvaré, law professor at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, and Alan Sears, who served as the president of Alliance Defending Freedom for over 20 years.

Ron Johnson, executive director for the Arizona Catholic Conference, helped organize the event. He said the formation of laity is one of  its main goals. The seminar will encourage Catholics to be faithful beyond the normal obligations of Mass and to practice the faith in every aspect of their lives, including civic responsibilities.

“Part of the seminar … is that we need to be Catholic in everything we do, not just at Mass on Sunday for an hour, but wherever we are,” he told CNA. “Praying, volunteering at soup kitchens, you name it. But, voting is also a very important one as well. We have an obligation as Catholics to form our conscience.”

Religious freedom will be among the major issues discussed at the seminar.

“Religious liberty is going to be a big one,” Johnson said. “[Helen Alvaré is] going to have a lot of important things to discuss with regard to our faith and our institutions in particular, how we’re at risk of losing our Catholic identity. If we don’t stand up for the culture we’re in right now, we’ve got a real risk.”

Speakers will address the impact of threats to religious liberty throughout the United States and across the world, not only for the Catholic Church, but also in various professions, such as health care, he said.

In a Sept. 29 video from the Arizona Catholic Conference, the state’s bishops stressed voting as an important part of the obligation to promote the common good.

“The Catholic Church is not partisan and does not endorse candidates,” Bishop Edward Weisenburger of Tucson said. “We are, however, firmly committed to promoting Catholic teaching and encouraging the laity to fully engage in promoting the common good in all aspects of their lives.”

Neither major political party embraces the fullness of Catholic teaching, said Bishop Wall of Gallup. “We are called to pray and reflect upon the critical moral issues of our day.”

“Catholic teaching reminds us that the protection of innocent human life from abortion is the pre-eminent issue of our time,” Bishop Olmsted said. “Accordingly, respect for the human dignity of all people, including immigrants, refugees, and the poor are also critical parts of Catholic social teaching. We oppose all forms of unjust discriminations and advocate for the healing of divisions that have resulted from racism in all of its various forms throughout the years.”

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