Greensburg Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt issued the following statement in response to the preliminary injunction granted June 20, 2014, by U.S. District Court Judge Arthur Schwab in the Diocese of Greensburg’s lawsuit against the HHS Mandate. I am pleased that U.S. District Court Judge A

Adoption is a life-giving, loving and courageous choice. The circumstances in each adoption are unique. No two are alike. In 2010, Pennsylvania reformed its adoption law implementing new procedures for voluntary open adoption agreements where the prospective adoptive parent can enter

From the USCCB. Local Catholic Charities agencies around the country have long provided adoption and foster care services to the neediest children. Catholic Charities agencies often take on the most difficult placements, including older, abused children and children with disabilities

Approximately 1.5 million Pennsylvanians live below the federal poverty level – more than 12 percent of the overall population. One group of state legislators wants to do something about it. Representative Dave Reed (R-Indiana) and the House Majority Policy Committee initiated a proce

Every night in Pennsylvania thousands of children sleep in homeless shelters. Can we measure what the awful experience of being homeless can do to a child? Perhaps not, but we can see what it is costing us in dollars, which is quite a bit more than it would cost to simply provide hous

Catholics have been living and worshipping in Pennsylvania since William Penn launched his “Holy Experiment” here in the 18th century. Every small town and large city bears the influence of Catholic culture. Cathedral spires are historic landmarks, Catholic hospitals have cared for ge

Thousands of bills are introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly during the two year legislative session. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference  reviews, tracks and takes positions on a few hundred. Ever wonder how the PCC evaluates legislation? Read more in this summer’s V

New procedures for voluntary open adoption agreements where the prospective adoptive parent can enter into a voluntary agreement with the birth relative of a child to permit continued contact were established this week when Governor Ed Rendell signed SB 1360 into law.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the state budget by the constitutional deadline, June 30. Over the Fourth of July weekend, they passed the necessary fiscal code bill that outlines the revenue to pay for it. Although not exactly on time, this state budget was passed earlier th

On Friday evening, October 9, 2009, Governor Ed Rendell signed a $27.8 billion budget that was 101 days overdue.  The plan spends $500 million less than last year and does not include any broad-based tax increases. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) has been following the budg