Welcome to the Feb. 24, 2021 edition of Just 3 Things, the weekly social action newsletter of the Office of Human Life & Dignity. We have some interesting events listed on our calendar of upcoming events at the end of this email, so please take a look. If this email was forwarded to you, and you'd like to receive it each week, please click here.
Valerie Schmalz
Director
Office of Human Life & Dignity
Archdiocese of San Francisco
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California's Air Resources Board is scheduled to consider whether farmers in the San Joaquin Valley can continue controlled burns that contribute to air pollution. The Feb. 25 meeting will be virtual. The board will consider whether to ban almost all burning by the end of 2024. Factors to consider are the much higher costs for farmers to use alternative methods for clearing land vs. increased air pollution from burning. The California bishops issued a pastoral letter on the environment in 2019 that you can read here. (Photo from California Rice Commission Facebook page)
What could be wrong with legislation entitled The Equality Act? A lot, it turns out. The Equality Act discriminates against people of faith, threatens unborn life, and undermines the common good. The chairmen of five U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' committees wrote a letter to the House of Representatives opposing the Equality Act of 2021. (Photo composite courtesy of Catholic News Service)
It is Lent and again this year it is a different kind of penitential season. St. Pius pastor Father Tom Martin reflects on our blog about returning to Mass in church with the people of God. Earlier this week the nation reached the sad milestone of 500,000 dead from COVID-19. Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory offered a prayer for those who have died, asking God to "grant eternal peace to all our sisters and brothers lost to this disease" as part of CNN's Feb. 22 program, "We Remember 500,000: A National Memorial Service for Covid-19."
What's coming up:
- Feb. 25 _ Human Trafficking webinar at 6:30 p.m. More info here.
- March 14 _ Respect Life Essay Contest Awards Mass with Archbishop, 11 a.m. St. Mary's Cathedral. Outdoor awards ceremony. More here.
- March 23 _ 7 p.m. Salutations of the Holy Cross Prayer Service @ Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross, Belmont. Metropolitan Gerasimos presiding and Archbishop Cordileone to deliver homily.
- April 17 _ Retreat for healing after abortion. Go to sfarch.org/rachel or call 415-614-5567.