Mental Health Awareness Month; CA Election News; Biden “respectfully” disagrees with Bishops on fetal tissue research and why CA shouldn’t ‘scrap’ physician-assisted suicide “safeguards” in this week’s Insights.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an immense amount of stress globally over the last year, with increased anxiety and fear. Additionally, there has been an increase in child abuse and domestic abuse, further signs that proper social and emotional health are not being adequately addressed.
In their 2018 pastoral statement on mental health, the California Conference of Bishops encouraged all “to encounter our brothers and sisters who struggle with mental illness. Even those who do not have serious mental health problems can, to some extent, understand the experience of those who do: for not one of us is entirely free from periods of anxiety, emotional distress, troubling or intrusive thoughts, or strong temptations.”
You will find links to PDFs of the statement in English, Spanish and Vietnamese as well as a study/discussion guide for small groups to reflect on the document here.
Many Catholic Charities around California offer mental health programs and counseling:
- The Diocese of San Diego’s The Office for Family Life & Spirituality maintains a network of local therapists who are comfortable integrating their clients’ spirituality into their practice.
- Catholic Charities of Yolo Solano: New Pathways Counseling Services provides professional, confidential, and affordable counseling services to Solano and Yolo county area residents.
- Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County offers a number of services that can help older adults, adults and children get on the road to wellness and recovery to overcome these barriers and make positive life changes.
- Catholic Charities of the East Bay offers Mental Health First Aid trainings that seek to empower community members to respond compassionately and directly when someone experiences a mental health challenge.
This is just a sampling of mental health resources offered by dioceses, ministries and parishes throughout the Golden State. Check with your diocese or your parish for resources available in your community.
“I have a dogmatic certainty,” said Pope Francis, that “God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else- God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God.” – Pope Francis.
Newsom Recall Qualifies While CA Loses Congressional Seat
It was an unusually busy news week for California elections in a non-election year. Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced that the campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom officially has enough signatures to trigger a recall vote, while California’s unprecedented population exodus cost a congressional seat.
More than 1.6 million signatures to recall Newsom have been verified, well over the 1.4 million needed to qualify the measure. While signatories technically have until June 8 to remove their names from the effort, it is not likely to be reversed, resulting in a special election likely to occur later this fall.
The U.S. Census Bureau also announced this week that for the first time, California will lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, dropping the state’s delegation from 53 to 52. The 2020 census results that triggered the removal of one seat cited California’s slowed, almost stalled population growth. The State of California will still maintain more seats than any other state, but other states with populations booms like Florida and Texas will be allowed to gain a seat.
U.S. Bishop Chairmen Express Support for Commitments at Leaders Summit on Climate
President Joe Biden convened the Leaders Summit on Climate on April 22-23, which included a video message by Pope Francis. Chairmen of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and International Justice and Peace, released a statement in support of the Holy Father:
“Pope Francis addressed a virtual gathering of over 40 leaders from the highest levels of world government at the White House’s Leaders Summit on Climate, saying, ‘our concern is to see that the environment is cleaner, healthier and conserved, and to take care of nature so that it takes care of us.’
California shouldn’t scrap ‘safeguards’ in End of Life Options Act
The following opinion-editorial by Matt Valliere appeared in the Daily News on April 21, 2021.
Assisted suicide is already legal in California through the so-called End of Life Option Act, narrowly passed by the California Legislature and signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2015. The bill received opposition from both Democrat and Republican Assembly members and state senators but was passed, many feel inappropriately, during a Special Legislative Session focused on Medi-Cal funding.
Despite the bill’s narrow passage, now just a few years into the new law, proponents of this law want to eliminate the very “safeguards” they used as arguments for its passage. The new bill, Senate Bill 380 by Sen. Susan Eggman will get rid of the scheduled 2025 review process that doctors, patient advocates, and legislators allowed for an examination of California’s experience with this controversial law. This new bill will also eliminate the 15-day safety period to receive the deadly prescription drugs.
Continue Reading at DailyNews.com
The CDC Revises Guidelines for Vaccinated Individuals
While demand for COVID-19 vaccines has fallen over the 
past couple weeks, the CDC released a new graphic that outlines “safe” and “safer” behaviors for fully vaccinated individuals that includes activities like attending small, outdoor events with other fully vaccinated people, and attending crowded events like concerts or sporting events.
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson shot.
Also, congratulations to Diocese of Orange Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer for being recognized as a “Public Health Hero” by the County Health Executives Association of California (CHEAC) for his “active thought leadership partner with the Orange County Healthcare Agency throughout the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A poll shows that Catholics are among the religious groups with the highest rate of vaccination. Learn what the Pope and bishops have to say about the importance of vaccination on our Coronavirus resource page or visit our YouTube channel to watch a statewide webinar on the moral and scientific aspects of the vaccines.
In The News
Fire reveals pieces of Mission San Gabriel’s past as it prepares for jubilee year
Nine months after a mysterious fire ripped through Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the historic church is still a mess….But now, as the mission prepares for its 250th anniversary, silver linings from the fire perhaps more valuable than the millions of dollars in damage it caused are starting to emerge.
White House: Biden ‘respectfully disagrees’ with bishops on fetal tissue research
The White House press secretary said on Tuesday that President Biden “respectfully disagrees” with Catholic bishops on federally-funded fetal tissue research. The USCCB previously denounced the restart of fetal tissue research, citing that it is “It is unethical to promote and subsidize research that can lead to legitimizing the violence of abortion. Researchers have demonstrated that we can do effective scientific research and develop efficacious clinical treatments without harvesting tissue from aborted babies.”
“For God, you are that little coin that the Lord seeks without pause. He wants to tell you that you are precious and unique in His eyes. No one can take your place in the heart of God.”
@Pontifex
April 30, 2021
Vol. 13, No. 16