TITLE: Welcoming the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops to the Capitol.

SUMMARY: Welcoming the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops to the Capitol.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure in welcoming a visiting delegation of 4,000 Catholics and their Bishops from the 15 Roman Catholic Dioceses of Texas and in saluting the Catholic Ministries of Texas for their service to Texans of all walks of life, especially the most vulnerable in our state; and WHEREAS, The Catholic Bishops of Texas shepherd and serve the 8.4 million Catholics in the 15 Dioceses of Texas by providing nourishment for their body, soul, and spirit and tirelessly advocating for the common good; and WHEREAS, Catholic Respect Life programs offer services to women facing crisis pregnancies, save the lives of thousands of new Texans every year, and provide ongoing assistance for these families; and WHEREAS, Catholic Charities ministries, present in more than 20 locations in Texas, as well as hundreds of parish-based social ministries, including the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, extend to persons of all races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds the healing power of faith, as well as tangible assistance, with the goal of helping them reach self-sufficiency; and WHEREAS, Catholic schools, which emphasize moral development, service to others, stewardship, and leadership skills, are a valuable source of education, grounded in faith, for over 70,000 Texas students; and WHEREAS, Catholic religious education programs provide religious instruction and formation to more than 384,000 Catholic children and their parents and families, and they teach Catholics to reflect upon the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel; and WHEREAS, Catholic Family Life Ministries provide marriage preparation and education to engaged couples, support marriage enrichment programs, and provide support for families throughout Texas in order to strengthen and nurture their relationships; and WHEREAS, Catholic chaplains provide pastoral care and reaffirm the dignity of those who are incarcerated in our prisons and jails; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby extend a warm welcome to the members of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops delegation on the occasion of Catholic Faith in Action Advocacy Day at the State Capitol and commendallthoseassociatedwiththeseministriesfortheir ongoing efforts to promote the dignity of all human life from conception to natural death and for providing valuable services throughout our state, especially to the most vulnerable; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Lucio Bettencourt Huffman Uresti Hinojosa Men ndez Zaffirini Huffines Schwertner Patrick, President of the Senate President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 4, 2017.