• Special Message From Bishop Malloy

  
  
• Dear Friends, The extreme abortion legislation that has been introduced in Illinois has taken its first step in the legislative process, and we are asking for your help. If you attended Mass at a parish in the Diocese of Rockford this weekend, you likely heard the letter that Bishop Malloy wrote to the people of the diocese (click here to read his letter), in which he has asked each of us to pray and to consider contacting our elected officials to voice our opposition to these bills. HB 2495 and HB 2467 have been assigned to the Illinois House Human Services Committee. This means they could be heard at any time, and appear to be scheduled for a hearing on the morning of March 6th - Ash Wednesday. As we begin this Lenten season of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, would you please pray for the unborn, and for our elected officials? In a particular way, we pray that they will have the wisdom to recognize the inherent dignity of each and every person – born and unborn – and that they will have the courage to carry out their responsibility to enact laws that protect life. As we fast on Ash Wednesday and throughout this holy season, please consider offering your fasting and Lenten sacrifices for these intentions. Additionally, we ask that all people of good-will contact their legislators to voice their opposition to these bills. Since these bills may be heard at any time, this is a time-sensitive ACTION ALERT. Please see the note below from the Catholic Conference of Illinois, and visit their Action Center today or tomorrow (3/4 or 3/5), if possible. TAKE ACTION If you are seeing this email after the committee vote, please visit the Action Center to access the most current Action Alert. Also, if you have not already done so, please sign up to join the Illinois Catholic Advocacy Network (I-CAN). The Catholic Conference of Illinois will be using this network to distribute updates on the progress of this legislation.  Additionally, please join us in Springfield on Wednesday, March 20, to voice your opposition to this abortion-expansion legislation in person. Click HERE for full details about the Diocese of Rockford Life Advocacy Day. From the Catholic Conference of Illinois: Abortion legislation COULD get a hearing The extreme abortion legislation we've told you about has taken its first step in the legislative process.   House Bill 2467 and House Bill 2495 have been assigned to the Illinois House Human Services Committee. That means they could be heard at any time.   Better to be safe than sorry. Let's contact our lawmakers.   If your state representative is a member of the Human Services Committee, contact and urge him/her to vote "no" on HB 2467 and HB 2495. If your lawmaker is not on that committee, ask him/her to tell members of that panel to vote "no" on these bills. Clicking on the link below will send the appropriate emails.    HB 2467 repeals the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act, while House Bill 2495 dramatically changes abortion law in Illinois. HB 2495 would define abortion as a fundamental right, repeal the state’s ban on partial-birth abortions, eliminate the requirement that only doctors can perform abortions, and jeopardize legal protections for doctors and hospitals who refuse to participate in abortions.   See the fact sheets here and here.   Thank you for your support. ~The Catholic Conference of Illinois   Click the link below to log in and send your message: https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/dC6SEhfpxRxsbKXes-Vw6A     ##### TAKE ACTION

   

  If you would like to lobby against these bills in person, please join us in Springfield on Wednesday, March 20. Full details are available here. Thank you so much! In Christ, Jennifer Jennifer Collins, Director Life & Family Evangelization Office Catholic Diocese of Rockford 555 Colman Center Drive | Rockford, IL 61108 815.399.4300 x 370 JCollins@RockfordDiocese.org www.rockforddiocese.org/life