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There appear to be no moral issues to prohibit a Catholic from receiving vaccines produced by Pfizer or Moderna. If other vaccines are released that have an illicit origin, Catholics should choose the option that is least morally problematic. I strongly urge everyone to register for the vaccine. I have registered and have an appointment. Please visit: covid19.nj.gov/vaccine.

As the new year begins, there are many issues in society that challenge our Catholic moral and social teachings. Opposition to abortion remains our ‘pre-eminent priority. During the month of January when we acknowledge the 48th anniversary of the fateful Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, I invite the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Diocese of Trenton to join in a common prayerful response to end abortion. Click the article title for some suggestions.

Our parish Social Justice/Social Concerns Committee will again be collecting frozen turkeys and non-perishable items to fill Thanksgiving baskets those who are in need.

There is a bill currently before the state legislature that would permit abortions for any reason for all nine months of pregnancy, eliminate conscience protections for medical professionals, require taxpayers to pay for the abortions whether or not they have moral objections, and prohibit the adoption of future laws that conflict with any provision of this bill. Please click the article title to find and use the link to make your objection to this bill known to your legislators.

Check out the Family & Pro-Life News Briefs for September, 2020, on our Respect Life page, under Documents. This news brief includes articles on the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children, A Better Way to Plan Your Family, a condensed statement from the US Catholic Bishops, two articles on college, one on Respect Life Month, a short article on the US Birth Rate, and an article on "Jesus, Son of an Unwed Mom."

The USCCB will host a virtual rosary event on October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, to unite Catholics in a "moment of prayer' for our nation. Click the article title for more information.

Have you completed and returned your census yet? Responding is important, because the census count determines the distribution of funds to states and communities for the next 10 years. Click the article title for more information.

Click the article title to see an abridged version of the bishop's message on the obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of our society.

If you are concerned about the tone and content of social media posts, take a look at the document "Rules of the Road for Social Media" found in the Documents section on our Catholic Witness page, under Faith Formation > Adult Faith Formation.

Bishop O'Connell has provided guidance on forming your conscience for faithful citizenship. Click the article title for a link to more information.

July 19-25, 2020, the dates of National Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness Week, highlight the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25), which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, married love, and responsible parenthood. Very helpful information about the benefits of NFP, how it works, and its effectiveness, is available at the www.usccb.org website.

The Supreme recently upheld, by a 7-2 decision, an executive order that protected the Little Sisters of the Poor from being forced to pay for abortion-causing drugs under their health insurance plan. Abortion advocates have spent years trying to force Sisters to fund abortions.

...of the defacing and toppling of the statues of this Franciscan Saint whose feast we celebrated on July 1? Click the article title to see an abridged version of the statement by the Catholic Bishops.

Because of language that would promote abortion, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations has rejected an UN agreement on humanitarian assistance for emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement released last night, the U.S. Mission to the UN said, “We emphasize that health care should focus on health promotion and prevention, consistent with national legislation and policies.” The US objects to the terms "sexual and reproductive health care services" and "sexual and reproductive health" as code words for abortion.

The rate of chemical abortions in the United States is at an all-time high. The Mifeprex abortion pill regimen is used for aborting babies up to 10 weeks old, at which point the baby already has a heartbeat, head, hands, feet, fingers & toes. Mifeprex is subject to the FDA’s drug safety program because it carries life-threatening risks. For more information, click the article title.

Click the article title to find some interesting thoughts on genetic engineering from Christopher M. Reilly, in an article "Madness of Human Genetic Engineering", in the Human Life Review, Aug. 2019

The 40 Days for Life Prayer Witness on Rt. 33 across from St. Gregory the Great will still be held. Since it is outdoors, the proper distance can be maintained to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. The other facets of this Lent's 40 Days activities have been cancelled.

St Gregory the Great (Hamilton) will feature a talk by Professor Robert P. George, PhD., Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. What do Faith and Reason Tell us About Religious Liberty? Today the Catholic Church champions religious freedom for all people of every faith and shade of belief. Why? Click the article title for the time and location.

to a presentation on "The Sexual Revolution: Sharing the Message of Humanae Vitae 50 Years Later," by Rev. Tadeus Pacholczyk, Ph.D. He is a priest and bioethicist (for more about Fr. Tad, click the article title). The presentation will be on October 22, at 7:00 PM at St. John the Baptist Church in Allentown. Click the article title for more information.