What’s new
Sen. Chris Cournoyer of LeClaire has been sworn in as Iowa’s 48th lieutenant governor. She would replace Gov. Kim Reynolds in the event of a vacancy. Lt. Gov. Cournoyer was appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds to the role on Dec. 16. The governor’s office is up for election in 2026.
Several ecumenical leaders wrote an opinion piece about their Oct. 5 “Building Bridges” seminar held in Perry, Iowa, saying “As statewide faith leaders, we are committed to accompanying our people and leading the way in building bridges among us.” You can find it on our website.
More than 150 organizations, including the Iowa Catholic Conference, signed on to the letter calling on Gov. Reynolds to approve Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) for 2025. SUN Bucks would provide 245,000 children who qualify for free or reduced price school meals in Iowa with $120 in nutrition benefits during the summer while they are out of school. The ICC also supports funding for “Double Up Food Bucks,” which provides matching funds for money spent on qualifying fruits and vegetables using SNAP (food stamp) benefits.
Axios is reporting that Iowans placed a record $2.6 billion in legal sports bets during the past fiscal year, the biggest amount since legalization in 2019. Stateline says that sports betting may be linked to financial problems, including lower credit scores and more bankruptcies. The ICC opposes efforts to legalize online casinos on your phone, which could put multiple casinos in every house.
Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day marked
On Dec.12, the Catholic Church commemorated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and patroness of the unborn. Several bishop chairmen authored a reflection, expressing:
“Throughout the life of our nation, we have seen at times unacceptable demonstrations of prejudice and hatred, including in recent days mass communications targeting people of color and disparaging comments about immigrant communities. With one clear voice, we reaffirm our unwavering and unqualified recognition of the fact that each and every human life is sacred, that all persons are imbued by God with an inviolable dignity, which no earthly power can deny. The sinful ideologies of racism and xenophobia are antithetical to these core teachings of our Christian faith. No person formed by and committed to the Gospel of Life can harbor such views in good conscience.”
This reflection was shared by Bishop Mark J. Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration; Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop Eusebio L. Elizondo, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, and Travelers; and Bishop Joseph N. Perry, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism.
Save the dates
The annual Prayer for Life event at the State Capitol is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. The film “Fatal Flaws” will be shown at 10 a.m. in Room 103 to highlight the dangers of assisted suicide legislation. Father Jason Lee of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Church in Ankeny will be one of the pastors offering prayer during the rally at noon.
An upcoming Zoom webinar from the Iowa Catholic Conference, “Advocating for Justice 2025,” will feature ICC and diocesan staff updating participants on current issues of interest and help participants find ways to advocate for justice. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 at 7 p.m. You can register here. More details to come.
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church at Drake University in Des Moines has announced its new dialogue series “Faith in Action for the Common Good.” The first dialogue series event features Bishop Seitz of El Paso with “Broken at the Border” on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 2 p.m. The event is free to the public and will take place at Sheslow Auditorium on the Drake University campus.
And finally,
We pray you have a beautiful Christmas season!
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