Catholic Conference of West Virginia
Click here to read about the U.S. Bishops' initiative to promote, strengthen, sustain and restore marriages. This website weaves together the Catholic faith tradition and its pastoral practice, the data of social science, and the experience of married couples to offer guidance and resources. Click here to read Bishop Bransfield's Pastoral Letter on Mine Safety.
Click here to watch the Press Conference. In view of this year's World Day of Peace address by Pope Benedict XVI with its theme "If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Safeguard Creation," we share this thought-provoking statement by Senator Robert C. Byrd, in which the Senator speaks about climate change, mountain-top removal strip-mining, and the future of the coal industry. Click here to view Senator Byrd's statement. Click here to download the new encyclical "Caritas in Veritate—Charity in Truth" from Pope Benedict XVI. Click here to download an overview of the encyclical. Click here to read an Op-Ed posted in the Catholic Spirit regarding reducing poverty in our state. Wish to stay informed on issues and legislation of interest? Sign up for weekly legislative updates by contacting tgarland@dwc.org. Please write "Legislative Network" in the subject line.
Greetings in Christ!
The Catholic Conference of West Virginia was established to give witness to spiritual values in public affairs and to influence those making decisions regarding social policies to make such decisions in congruence with Catholic social teachings.
We trust that this website will prove of use to you in both learning about and
acting upon social teachings of the Church. The application of these teachings
in this diocese is very much affected by the fact that West Virginia is the
only state located entirely in Appalachia. Together we can strive to realize
the vision of the Appalachian Bishops in "This Land is Home to Me" (1975) of
a
Life free and simple,
with time for one another,
and for people's needs,
based on the dignity of the human person,
at one with nature's beauty.
Download A Church That Heals, A Pastoral Letter on Well-Being in West Virginia
Download This Land is Home to Me, 1975 Pastoral Letter of the bishops of Appalachia
Click here to view a video of the “thirty-years-after” panel
discussion by some of those involved in creation of “This Land is Home
to Me” (issued
at Wheeling College Feb. 1, 1975) Wheeling Jesuit University Feb. 1. 2005.
Download At Home in the Web of Life, 1995 Pastoral Letter of the bishops of Appalachia