Senate Bill No. 71 Our Position: Support Brief Description: The South Dakota Catholic Conference supports the passage of Senate Bill 71, which would eliminate the death penalty as a criminal sentence for the seriously mentally ill convicted of capital crimes. The Catholic Church calls for a culture of life, and Read more…
House Bill No. 1055 Our Position: Support Brief Description: The South Dakota Catholic Conference supports the passage of House Bill 1055. HB 1055 would require a physician to obtain parental consent prior to the institution of an order to withhold resuscitation for a child in South Dakota. Also known as “Simon’s Read more…
That all life is sacred and has dignity, from conception to natural death, is a truth we must never tire of speaking, especially in those circumstances where the lives of the voiceless and vulnerable are at stake. It is an unspeakable travesty that our country has permitted the legal abortion Read more…
Catholic Social Teaching, sometimes called the Church’s social doctrine, is that body of teaching and reflection that helps us to form a moral framework for how to approach and respond to society’s challenges of ordering and governing our life together in the world. The truths that social teaching proposes are Read more…
The South Dakota Catholic Conference has been established as one vehicle by which we bishops are able to engage in the public square by raising up core moral issues. God-given truths including life and justice can be obscured by political expediency and the growing demand of many in the culture Read more…
I recently attended a panel discussion of advance medical planning at a conference organized by health care workers. Advance medical planning encompasses those legal tools that we can use to prepare for a time when, due to illness or other incapacity, we cannot make care decisions on our own. This Read more…
Chris Motz, Executive Director of the South Dakota Catholic Conference was on Catholic Views to discuss the concept of human dignity.
Following the issuance of a Warrant of Execution, the state of South Dakota intends to execute inmate Rodney Berget during the week of October 28, 2018. As the Roman Catholic Bishops of the Dioceses of Rapid City and Sioux Falls, we recall once more our statements on the death penalty Read more…
Emily Leedom, Director of Marriage Family and Respect Life office, and Christopher Motz, Director of the South Dakota Catholic Conference, were on Catholic Views to talk about the upcoming month of October, also known as Respect Life Month, and all activities that you can participate in.
Chris Motz, Executive Director of the South Dakota Catholic Conference was on Catholic Views to discuss Economy and Families.
This month we celebrated 242 years since the founding of our nation through the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Amidst the fun of fireworks, parades, and festivity, it’s easy to gloss over what it is we’re celebrating, the anniversary of a historic launching of a great experiment in self-government. Read more…
Chris Motz, Executive Director of the South Dakota Catholic Conference, was on Catholic Views to discuss Religious Freedom Week and the upcoming Red Mass which will be held June 21 at 5:30pm at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sioux Falls, SD.
Real Presence Live In the first hour, host Fr. James Gross began by visiting with Chris Motz, Executive Director of the South Dakota Catholic Conference, about the importance of religious freedom and the upcoming week dedicated to this crucial topic.
Religious freedom is as American as apple pie and baseball. My wife makes the world’s best apple pie, and I love to root for the home team. However, if I had to pick one of these three as absolutely essential to the health of our country, it’s not a difficult Read more…
I spent last Saturday afternoon with my hands in the dirt. My wife and I just bought a house in town, near where I work and where we worship. It’s about a hundred years old and needs some attention, but it’s got good bones, as they say. The level yard Read more…
Chris Motz was recently on Catholic Views to talk about the past year’s legislative Session.
It’s Chris Motz’s job to talk about two topics that many people try to avoid: religion and politics. So, how does he start discussions without starting a fight? “Delicately is maybe one way to approach it,” he said, “but also to just name it right upfront, that this is hard Read more…
“The rural family needs to regain its rightful place at the heart of the social order.” Why? I’ve been pondering these insistent words written by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 since I first read them several years ago. Why is it so important that the rural family return to its proper place, Read more…
Fr. Gross speaks with Chris Motz of the South Dakota Catholic Conference about two important pro-life bills that could be coming up soon for a vote.
Senate Bill No. 110 Our Position: Support Brief Description: Establish certain findings pertaining to pre-abortion counseling practices by abortion providers in South Dakota and to amend provisions regarding mandatory third-party pre-abortion counseling. View Full Description