09:41 pm  |  WASHINGTON D.C., Mar 20, 2010 (CNA).- In a final, urgent plea to prevent the passage of the current form of the Senate health care bill, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Saturday evening sent a letter to Congressmen asking them to vote “no.”

“For decades,” the letter says, “the United States Catholic bishops have supported universal health care. The Catholic Church teaches that health care is a basic human right, essential for human life and dignity.”

“Our community of faith,” the bishops continue, “provides health care to millions, purchases health care for tens of thousands and addresses the failings of our health care system in our parishes, emergency rooms and shelters. This is why we as bishops continue to insist that health care reform which truly protects the life, dignity, consciences and health of all is a moral imperative and an urgent national priority.”

11:55 am  |  VATICAN CITY, Mar 20, 2010 (CNA/EWTN News).- The healing power of Jesus Christ’s self-sacrificing love can free even those in “the darkest and most hopeless situations,” wrote Pope Benedict in a Pastoral Letter to the Church in Ireland. The “intense” letter voiced sorrow to abuse victims while urging reparation for sins.

In a pastoral letter released on Saturday, the Holy Father urged victims to find solace and communion with the Church through a relationship with Jesus Christ, who was also "a victim of injustice and sin." He exhorted abuse victims to look to the wounds of the Savior’s unjust suffering.

Calling for all of the faithful of Ireland to turn to the Gospel for renewal, the Holy Father explained again that the cases of abuse "deeply disturbed" him. He proposed measures for guidance on the path of healing, renewal and reparation.

09:03 am  |  BOSTON, MASS., Mar 20, 2010 (CNA).- The Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, yesterday criticized organizations such as the Catholic Health Association and Network for supporting a health care bill that will halt decades of government neutrality on the issue of abortion.

"Health care is such an important issue for the United States. It’s very disturbing to see that there seems to be a rush to push through legislation without carefully weighing all of the consequences," wrote Cardinal O'Malley on his blog.

"I think it’s unfortunate that some Catholic groups have not paid close enough attention to what the bishops are saying regarding the present legislation. It would undermine the Hyde Amendment and put us at the mercy of regulations that could very easily be altered."

07:19 am  |  WASHINGTON D.C., Mar 20, 2010 (CNA/EWTN News).- While the U.S. Bishops are encouraging the faithful to call their representatives and ask them to oppose Senate legislation because of federal funding for abortion, the group Catholics United and other left-leaning groups are running interference, allowing lawmakers to justify ignoring the guidance of the bishops on the critical moral and political issues contained in the bill.

In a recent email sent to supporters, Chris Korzen, the head of Catholics United, urges Catholics to “ keep the pressure up,” saying, “(h)ealth care reform is coming down to the wire, and abortion is the last sticking point.”

“The bishops' staff claim that the Senate bill expands federal financing of abortion,” Korzen writes. “That’s simply not true. Independent news outlets and policy experts have confirmed that the Senate health care bill explicitly prohibits federal financing of abortion. Despite this, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are still opposing reform.”