A bill clarifying that clergy members have the right to refuse to conduct marriages violating their beliefs tentatively passed the Texas House 141-2 Thursday.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops this week reaffirmed its concern about proposed legislation that would permit the open carry of handguns in public areas, particularly proposals that would allow weapons to be carried into churches, schools, college campuses and hospitals. Law enforcement officials statewide worry about whether they could distinguish citizens from perpetrators.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop David E. Fellhauer of Victoria, Texas, and named Father Brendan Cahill, a priest of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, to succeed him. Bishop Fellhauer is 75, the age at which canon law requires bishops to turn in their resignation to the pope.

Demonstrating notable unity, the pro-life community has come together in support of HB 3074, which requires the provision of artificial nutrition and hydration for patients who wish it, unless the provision of food and water causes harm to the patient.

The Texas Catholic Conference celebrated passage of the Tax Credit Scholarship Bill by a vote of 18-12 in the Texas Senate. The legislation provides a tax incentive to businesses that donate to non-profit scholarships, which help low-income families attend accredited private or public schools of their choice or to obtain educational assistance.

Faith Leaders for Fair Lending will host a Legislative Staff Briefing at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21,in the Texas Capitol Auditorium. The event will highlight all the payday and auto-title lending reform bills that have been filed during the 84th Session of the Texas Legislature.

Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran bishops visited with young mothers and children who have fled violence in their home countries and are now incarcerated at Dilley Detention Center in Dilley, Texas, on March 27. The faith leaders called upon the federal government to halt the practice of family detentions, citing the harmful effects on mothers, children and the moral character of society.

The Texas Senate will honor the 2014 Lumen Christi Award recipients, the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM), for their dedication to serving the poor in the most impoverished areas in our nation. For residents of the border town of Penitas, Texas, these Sisters represent hope to the people in their communities.

Two state agencies that work to protect the health and safety of Texans have teamed up on an analysis of child abuse deaths and a plan to help prevent them. The agencies used research data to develop a plan to target communities with unusually high numbers of sleep-related deaths, deaths related to motor vehicles and deaths of children who were physically abused.

The chairman of the U.S. bishops' international policy committee has asked the nation's Catholic bishops to invite the people of their dioceses to pray for peace in Iraq Aug. 17.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley has asked Catholics to offer prayer and penance to prevent a Satanic group from holding a "black mass" Sept. 21 at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City.