Law protecting life at conception officially repealed by North Dakota court

Washington D.C., Aug 5, 2019 / 04:26 pm (CNA).- A bipartisan group of 18 senators is urging the Trump administration not to shut down refugee admissions, but rather to increase admissions.

Citing “alarming” reports that the administration … […]

Austin, Texas, Mar 7, 2019 / 04:52 pm (CNA).- The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist had a problem.

They were running out of room at their convent in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they had been based since 1997.

It was a good problem to have, the result of a boom in young vocations. But it meant that the community of 140 sisters needed to expand.

With property in both California and Texas, the sisters prayerfully considered both options, ultimately deciding that God was calling them to open a new convent in the Georgetown, Texas.

Twenty-five miles north of Austin, Georgetown is in the Hill Country of the Lone Star State.

The sisters’ presence in Texas reaches back to 2009, when eight sisters came to teach in the Diocese of Austin, invited by then-Bishop of Austin Gregory Aymond. Members of the community currently teach in four Catholic schools in Texas.

“As our presence has steadily grown, our apostolate has flourished, enabling us to expand the work to which God has called us – to praise, to bless, and to preach through catechesis, evangelization, and witness,” the sisters said in a statement.

“Through it all, our hearts have been captured by the love of so many who have made all this possible through their sacrificial goodness.”

In 2012, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist began a $30 million capital campaign to fund the first phase of a new Religious House.

That phase was recently completed and is comprised of living space for 56 sisters, along with dining space, a gymnasium and library, and areas for education and community. Twelve sisters have moved in so far, the Dallas News reports.

The building was blessed in a Feb. 16 ceremony.

Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing, head of the diocese where the sisters are from, presided over the ceremony. He was joined by bishops from around the state of Texas: Bishops Joe Vasquez of Austin, Michael Mulvey of Corpus Christi, Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Brendan Cahill of Victoria, and Stephen Lopes of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.

The new home is named “Our Lady of Guadalupe Convent.”

“As patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe holds a special place in the heart of our own community as well,” the sisters explained in their statement.

“We seek her motherly protection and guidance as our Sisters take up residence, begin their studies, and continue to nurture and teach those entrusted to their care.”

The Texas convent marks the community’s first expansion beyond the Motherhouse since 1997, with more expansion projects planned.

“Never in our wildest imagination, did we ever think about being in Texas when we first started,” said Mother Assumpta Long in an interview in the Dallas News.

“I tell people that it’s such an adventure to be religious because when you worship, you never know what he has in mind… All you do is trust and you follow him, but he had it all planned. We didn’t have a clue.”

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CNA Staff, Nov 6, 2020 / 02:00 pm (CNA).- The Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will be held in two live-streamed sessions on November 16 and 17.

The meeting is set to commence six days after the long-awaited release of the Vatican’s investigation into disgraced former archbishop Theodore McCarrick. The report is set to be released almost exactly one year after Cardinal Sean O’Malley told the USCCB’s 2019 fall meeting that the report would be released “soon.” 

The bishops will also learn the results of the committee chairman elections, and hear addresses from the apostolic nuncio and the National Review Board.

Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, who was elected president of the USCCB at last fall’s assembly, will give his first address as the conference’s president, after the spring general assembly, scheduled to occur in June, was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to the USCCB, the meeting will “include dialogue by the bishops on a pastoral response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a pastoral response to racism.” Additionally, the bishops will vote on the strategic priorities of the 2021-2024 Strategic Plan, the renewal of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, and the budget for the upcoming year. 

Due to the pandemic and the virtual nature of this year’s assembly, the bishops were provided with mail-in ballots to vote in the upcoming conference election. Typically, the votes would occur at the assembly, in-person. 

The bishops will be voting for the chairmen-elect of seven committees: Priorities and Plans, Catholic Education, Communications, Cultural Diversity in the Church, Doctrine, National Collections, and Pro-Life Activities. 

The winners of these elections will serve one year as “chairman-elect” before they take over as chairman at the 2021 Fall General Assembly. Once elevated to chairman, the bishop will serve in that role for a three-year term. 

The bishops will also vote for a chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty, which is currently being led by acting chairman Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami. 

At the Fall 2019 General Assembly, Wenski tied a vote with Bishop George Murry, S.J. of Youngstown following the resignation of Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville due to medical reasons. Murry was older than Wenski, and was declared the victor of that election. 

The position of chairman became vacant once again following Murray’s death on June 5 after a relapse of leukemia. Wenski agreed to assume the role on an acting basis. 

The bishops will also be voting for a new general secretary, who will serve a five-year term. 

The current general secretary is Monsignor Brian Bransfield, a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Also up for election will be new board members of Catholic Relief Services. 

The results of the election will be announced during the virtual assembly.

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