Washington - The Administrative Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted March 14 to reaffirm its previous statement supporting efforts for a federal marriage amendment. Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Knoxville (TN), chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Marriage and Family Life, applauded the reaffirmation. “Today’s action of the Administrative Committee renews the urgent task of bishops to support marriage and its protection,” Bishop Kurtz said. “One important initiative is our support of the Marriage Protection Amendment and efforts to ratify such an amendment.” He added that the Marriage and Family Committee was pleased that Bishop William Skylstad, president of the USCCB, will communicate the Administrative Committee’s endorsement to every diocesan bishop in the country. The Administrative Committee directs the work of the USCCB between plenary sessions. It is comprised of 49 bishops, including committee chairmen and representatives of the 14 USCCB regions. The committee took the action during its annual March meeting in Washington. The committee’s statement can be found at www.usccb.org/comm/

archives/2006/06-052.shtml.

The Collection for the Holy Land will be held in parishes throughout the New Ulm diocese on April 14, Good Friday. In the words of Paul VI this collection is "not only for the Holy Places but above all for those pastoral, charitable, educational, and social works which the Church supports in the Holy Land for the welfare of their Christian brethren and of the local communities."

Washington - As of March 21, 2006, more than 40,000 pre-publication sales, and the number steadily climbing, the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church appears well on the way to becoming a major publishing success. The Compendium is a 200-page synthesis of the 1992 Catechism; it was released on March 31. It is being published in the United States (in English and Spanish) exclusively by USCCB Publishing, the publishing office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. At this pace, the Compendium is expected to sell between 120,000 and 200,000 copies in its first year.