2005-2006
Dec. 28, 2006 The Massachusetts Bishops issue a joint statement responding to SJC ruling advising legislators of their duty to vote on initiative petitions. See Bishops' Statement.
Dec. 21, 2006 The Massachusetts Bishops send a joint letter to each state senator and state representative urging an up-or-down vote of the yeas and nays to be taken on the Marriage Amendment on Jan. 2. See Bishops' Letter.
Nov. 14, 2006 The Massachusetts Bishops issue joint statement reacting to the legislature's failure to vote on the Marriage Amendment, and Nov. 9th decision to recess until the last day of the current session, Jan. 2, 2007. See Joint Statement
Oct. 20, 2006 The Massachusetts Bishops request parishes to distribute bulletin inserts on the weekends of Oct. 21-22 and 28-29 urging Catholics to contact their legislators in advance of the Nov. 9th Con-Con to vote on the Marriage Amendment. See Bulletin Inserts
September 19-October 11 The Massachusetts Bishops issue separate letters to pastors providing guidelines on permissable parish activities with respect to election campaigns for candidates. For copies of Boston, Fall River, and Springfield letters, see Election Guidelines
June 30, 2006 The Massachusetts Bishops issued a joint statement supporting proposed extensions of criminal statutes of limitation for the prosecution of sexual abuse of children. See Criminal SOL Statement.
June 28, 2006 Cardinal Sean O'Malley, Bishop George Coleman, and Bishop Robert McManus join Governor Mitt Romney in a state house press conference urging the legislature to take up the marriage amendment. See Cardinal Sean's Statement.
June 20, 2006 The Massachusetts Bishops issued a joint statement supporting an increase in the state minimum wage levels. See Minimum Wage Statement.
March-May, 2006 The Massachusetts Catholic Conference submitted testimony opposing the extension or elimination of civil statutes of limitation and the elimination of charitable immunity. See SOL Testimony March 20th, SOL Testimony May 1st and Charitable Immunity Testimony.
February 28, 2006 The four Ordinaries issued a statement announcing their decision to seek ways to avoid a state mandate requiring Catholic adoption agencies to participate in same-sex adoption. See Adoption Statement.
September 28, 2005 Each of the four Bishops has issued a message to parishioners in his diocese urging them to sign the petition of VoteOnMarriage.org to reaffirm marriage as the union between one man and one woman in Massachusetts. For copies of these statements and related materials for circulating the marriage petition in the parishes, see Parish Marriage Petition Drive Materials.
Aug. 22, 2005 On August 10, the Massachusetts Catholic Conference submitted written testimony to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary opposing a bill, S. 1073, filed by Sen. Marian Walsh (D-Boston) giving the state attorney general unconstitutionally broad powers to investigate and control financial decisions of churches and other religious organizations. See MCC testimony and other materials including editorials in the religious and secular press at Charitable Reporting.
July 27, 2005 On July 21, the Massachusetts Catholic Conference sent a letter to Gov. Romney urging him to veto the emergency contraception bill. See MCC Letter. He vetoed the bill on July 26, using arguments similar to those raised in the MCC letter. For an updated summary, see EC Bill Update.
July 7, 2005 The Catholic Bishops announce the appointment of Edward F. Saunders, Jr., Esq. as the new Executive Director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference. See Announcement.
July 6, 2005 The Massachusetts House amends S. 2073, the "emergency contraception" bill to provide protection for privately-owned hospitals which refuse to dispense emergency contraception to rape victims when that may cause an abortion. The Senate passed the bill on June 14 without such protection, thus requiring the differences between the House and Senate versions to be worked out in conference committee. Another problematic section of the bill would authorize "over the counter" dispensing of "emergency contraceptives" by pharmacists.
June 3, 2005 The Massachusetts Senate and House overrode the veto by Governor Romney of a bill endorsing human cloning and embryo research. The bill becomes law immediately. See Final Vote Tally.
May 19, 2005 The legislature rejected four amendments to S. 2039, the bill endorsing human cloning and embryo research, submitted by Governor Romney. See summary of the debate and vote tallies at May Cloning Votes on Governor's Amendments.
April 12-13, 2005 Two joint committees at the State House in Boston heard testimony on a cluster of bills codifying or abolishing same-sex marriage (Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Apr. 12) and another bill mandating the dispensing of emergency contraceptives even when they act as abortifacients (Joint Committee on Public Health, Apr. 13). See MCC statements submitted to each committee at Marriage Testimony and EC Testimony.
March 29-31, 2005 The Worcester Telegram published an op ed on March 29 by Bishop McManus of the Worcester Diocese on the cloning issue. See McManus Cloning Op Ed. On March 30, the State Senate and on March 31, the State House of Representatives approved different versions of legislation endorsing human cloning and embryo research. See March Cloning Vote. A senate-house conference committee must work out the differences before the legislation goes to Governor Romney, who has promised to veto any measure that endorses cloning.
March 2, 2005 The Massachusetts Catholic Bishops issue a joint statement against cloning and embryo research. See Cloning Statement. Testimony for and against such research, including testimony by Maria Parker on behalf of the MCC was heard at the State House on February 16. See the Boston Pilot's Cloning Hearing Report.
January 7, 2005 Former MCC Executive Director Gerry D'Avolio receives papal award. See Papal Award.
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