Washington - The U.S. bishops have urged Congress to think of the needy here and abroad when they consider the national budget. They made their call in a February 11 letter to U.S. senators and representatives. The letter was signed by Bishop William Skylstad, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. "As pastors, we believe that a fundamental moral measure of our nation's budget policy is whether it enhances or undermines the lives and dignity of those most in need," Bishop Skylstad wrote. "Sadly, political pressure has left poor families missing in the national debate and without a place at the table. Our nation needs a genuinely bipartisan commitment to focus on the common good of all and on the special needs of the poor and vulnerable in particular. The complete text of the letter can be found on the USCCB Web site. Visit www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2005/05-033.shtml

On February 18, after more than three years of deadlock, delegates to the United Nation’s legal committee, by a non-binding vote of 71 to 35, accepted a declaration calling on all nations to enact laws prohibiting all forms of human cloning. The U.N. has called on Member States to adopt urgent legislation outlawing all cloning practices saying that “they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life.” The Declaration was introduced by Honduras and supported by the United States. It must now go before the full 191 nation U.N. General Assembly in the fall for a vote.

Msgr. Neil A. Connolly has received the Year 2005 Sister Margaret Cafferty Development of People Award for his decades of work to empower the people of New York City’s impoverished neighborhoods. The national award is given annually by the Catholic Development (CCHD), the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops. Since his ordination for the Archdiocese of New York in 1958, Fr. Neil has advocated for the rights of changing populations in his care, helped tenants get heat and services in poorly maintained buildings, organized residents to address housing and safety issues and developed long-term leadership among groups of local people.

The Sister Margaret Cafferty Development of People Award, named in memory of the late Presentation Sister who served as executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and a member of the Catholic Bishops' Committee for CCHD, honors an individual whose life exemplifies a commitment to the development of people and the elimination of poverty.