Offices of Marriage, Family Life & Pro Life

Bishop's Urge Congress to Act on Religious Liberty Crisis

WASHINGTON — Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, called on Congress to address the crisis in health care sparked by the Obama administration’s contraceptive/sterilization coverage mandate in an August 3 letter to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

Bishops Welcome Inclusion of Conscience Provisions in House Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor/HHS “took a first, urgently needed step toward upholding rights of conscience and religious freedom in our health care system,” by including two key provisions in its appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013, according to the chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Vatican Approves English and Spanish Texts for "Blessing of a Child in the Womb"

WASHINGTON - The Vatican has approved the publication of the "Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb," which will be printed in English and Spanish in a combined booklet and should be available for parishes by Mothers' Day.

Natural Family Planning Awareness Week Begins July 22

WASHINGTON — “Faithfully Yours” is the theme of Natural Family Planning Awareness Week, July 22-28, a national educational campaign of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on the Catholic teaching on married love and the gift of human life.

Catholic Bishops Call for Prayer for Religious Liberty

WASHINGTON - The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), at its March 13-14 meeting in Washington, called for a nationwide prayer campaign for protection of religious freedom and conscience rights from several threats, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate that forces employers, including religious ones, to provide contraception/sterilization in their health plans.

Text of Blessing of a Child in the Womb now Available

WASHINGTON — Following Vatican approval, the "“Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb"” is now available for use by dioceses in the United States.

USCCB Statement on Health Care Reform Mandate

WASHINGTON — The U.S. bishops are strongly united in their ongoing and determined efforts to protect religious freedom, the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said in a March 14 statement.

Office of Pro Life