Five Things To Remember On Nov. 18

1. We are starting a blog series here on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy today with a lineup of writers that will put the historic moment and president in perspective.

2. The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held December 7-8 in Catholic parishes across the nation. Now in its 26th year, the collection is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) and benefits over 34,000 senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests.

3. Catholics across the country are focused on people in need, looking at both support for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the bishops' domestic poverty program, and for  Catholic Relief Services as it helps victims of the recent typhoon.

4. Pope Francis placed an emphasis on the sacrament of reconciliation today through his Twitter account, saying, "Confessing our sins may be difficult for us, but it brings us peace. We are sinners, and we need God’s forgiveness."

5. God loves you.

Five Things To Remember On Nov. 15

1. As Congress works on a budget package, it should replace sequestration and protect programs that serve the poor and vulnerable, at home and abroad, wrote Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, and Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California. Bishop Pates and Bishop Blaire, who addressed their November 12 letter to the leadership of Budget Conference Committee.

2. Working people struggling to support themselves and their families should be protected from lenders who look to exploit their financial insecurity, said Bishop Blaire.

3. It was a busy week for the USCCB. Read speeches and news release and see the results of elections and voting on action items at the USCCB November General Assembly.

4. Catholic News Service reports: "The goal of the Year of Faith, which concludes Nov. 24, has been to educate Catholics about basic church teachings, strengthen their faith and inspire them to share it with others. If it has succeeded, as organizers say it has, the credit ultimately lies less with its special projects and events than with the historic papal transition that occurred in its course."

5. God loves you.

Five Things To Remember On Nov. 14

1. The bishops will take up a special collection in parishes across the U.S for typhoon victims. Proceeds from the collection will go to both immediate humanitarian needs and the cost of long-term reconstruction. In addition, watch this video on the USCCB's and Catholic Relief Services efforts to support assistance to the victims of typhoon.

2. In case you missed it, the USCCB issued a "special message" Wednesday on the HHS Mandate. "It is our hope that our ministries and lay faithful will be able to continue providing insurance in a manner consistent with the faith of our Church. We will continue our efforts in Congress and especially with the promising initiatives in the courts to protect the religious freedom that ensures our ability to fulfill the Gospel by serving the common good."

3. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, responded Wednesday to the bill passed by the Hawaii legislature and signed by the governor to redefine marriage.

4. Pope Francis tweeted a message encouraging stewardship today, saying, "Take care of God’s creation. But above all, take care of people in need."

5. God loves you.

Five Things To Remember On Nov. 13

1. Get to know the incoming president of the USCCB in this Catholic News Service video interview with Archbishop Joseph Kurtz.





2. The U.S. bishops send their solidarity and support for the people of the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the USCCB, in a letter to the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. The U.S. bishops will also takeup a special collection to aid in relief efforts, Cardinal Dolan announced in a letter to the U.S. bishops.

3. Read more about the Catholic effort to assist victims of the typhoon.

4. The USCCB Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America approved 164 grants to 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, for a total of $2,273,105. The subcommittee approved the grants on November 9th, just prior to the USCCB’s General Assembly meeting in Baltimore.

5. God loves you.

Five Things To Remember On Nov. 12

1. Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, of Louisville, was elected president of the USCCB today. Archbishop Kurtz has been the conference's vice president for three years and you can hear how the Conference is called to follow Pope Francis' lead in warming hearts and minds. In addition, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, of Houston, was elected as vice president.

2. Several different USCCB committee chairman were elected today, and you can see the full list.

3.The bishops voted to develop a statement on pornography during the next two years. “As pastors, we’re aware that many people are consuming or are exploited by pornography, and many also are struggling with pornography addiction,” Bishop Richard J. Malone said in his report. “The number of men, women, and children who have been harmed by pornography use is not negligible, and we have an opportunity to offer healing and hope to those who have been wounded.”

4. Miss the social media surrounding the General Meeting in Baltimore? Use #USCCB13 to see how busy the Catholic community has been in talking about it during the last two days.

5. God loves you.

Five Things To Remember On Nov. 11

1. Watch the live stream of the USCCB General Meeting in Baltimore on USCCB.org.

2. Cardinal Timothy Dolan delivered his last opening address as President of the USCCB during the General Meeting in Baltimore. Cardinal Dolan emphasized the violence against Christians across the globe and the need for U.S. bishops to add their voices to raise awareness. In addition, the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., Archbisop Carlo Maria Vigano says the U.S. bishops must follow Pope Francis' call for evangelization. Read his full text. 

3. Follow the meeting on social media with #USCCCB13. Live tweets are at @USCCBLive.

4. Pope Francis has appealed to Catholics to assist with those impacted by the recent typhoon through Twitter. "We remember the Philippines, Vietnam and the entire region hit by Typhoon Haiyan. Please be generous with prayers and concrete help."

5. God loves you.

Five Things To Remember On Nov. 8

1. In a November 7 letter addressed to Speaker of the House John Boehner, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called upon members of the House of Representatives to address immigration reform legislation “as soon as possible, ideally prior to the end of the calendar year.”

2. Three chairmen of U.S. bishops’ committees expressed their opposition to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA) as passed today by the U.S. Senate.

3.. The USCCB's Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions met in Gallup, New Mexico, on October 16-17 to consider grant applications for 2014. These grants will fund “home mission” dioceses in the U.S, those which face great challenges due to their geography and the poverty of the populations they serve. About $8.5 million was allocated.

4. A new report from CARA shows that people who have given a year of service through the Catholic Volunteer Network tend to be more involved in their church, more active in their community.

5. God loves you.