Catholics at the Capitol

On March 4th hundreds, if not thousands, of Catholics descended on the Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.  Jean Okroi, IBVM, and Arlene Ashack, IBVM, were among them raising their voices on several important issues.

A first time event, the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) “endeavored to organize Catholics at the Capitol, a province-wide, ministries focused advocacy day, in order to offer Catholics a unique opportunity to be with the Illinois Bishops in expressing our values in the public square, as well as seeing first hand our state government in action.”

Deanne Capinpin, a student representing St. John the Baptist School, and her father, Ruben Capinpin, an IBVM employee, stated meeting Governor Quinn in his office as the highlight of the event.  For many others it was an opportunity to lend their voices to help shape the moral character of society, and to meet with their legislatures regarding the following seven issues:

• budget relief to ensure federal and state reimbursements are provided to Catholic health care and nursing homes on a timely basis;
• legislation to increase the Education Expense Tax Credit, utilized by Catholic school parents, from $500 to $1000 annually;
• opposition to legislation equating same-sex unions to marriage;
• legislation mandating that a woman seeking an abortion be offered the opportunity to view a sonogram before the procedure;
• legislation or budgetary action to provide a cost of doing business increase and budgetary action to provide prompt payments for Catholic Charities and other social service providers;
• budget support for community organizations and parishes to provide English classes to immigrants;
• legislation to finally abolish the death penalty.

Though the date at the Capitol has passed you, too, can add your voice by callingyour legislators regarding the same issues.  You do not need to speak to all seven legislative issues.  Simply focus on one or two of the issues you think will be most beneficial toward advancing the common good. 

For those of you not living in Illinois call the legislators of your state regarding the issues that are important to you.