Hundreds of Catholics, most sporting Catholics at the Capitol buttons and carrying their directives for the day, gather in the Hall of Flags at the Howlett Building in Springfield early on March 4. They were there as Catholic citizens of Illinois to share their ideas on legislative issues. Catholics at the Capitol was a political action day organized by the Catholic Conference of Illinois.

Over a thousand Catholic adults gathered on March 4 at the Capitol complex in Springfield for the first-ever Catholics at the Capitol advocacy day, arranged by the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI). Still another 3,800 — Catholic school children and their chaperones — were there for an annual Catholic school rally held in the Capitol Rotunda.

Catholics at the Capitol was organized as a state-wide, ministries-focused advocacy day that offered Catholics a unique opportunity to be with the Illinois bishops in expressing Catholic values in the public square and to give people a chance to see firsthand state government in action, said Robert Gilligan, executive director of CCI.

“In our system of government, where we elect leaders to make decisions that we hope will promote the common good, it is imperative that we take the time to be engaged in the political process,” Gilligan said.

Present that day were Cardinal Francis E. George, OMI, of Chicago; Bishop George J. Lucas of the Springfield diocese; Bishop Edward K. Braxton of the Belleville diocese; Bishop J. Peter Sartain of the Joliet diocese; Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, of the Peoria diocese; and Bishop Thomas G. Doran of the Rockford diocese. Also present were Bishop Francis J. Kane, Bishop John R. Manz, Bishop Thomas Paprocki, Bishop Joseph N. Perry and Bishop George J. Rassas, all auxiliary bishops of the Chicago Archdiocese.

“Legislators need to see our faces and hear our voices,” said Gilligan in greeting Cardinal George, the bishops and the adult participants who gathered early that morning in the Hall of Flags in the Howlett Building. “We come here to advance the common good … and one of the things that unites us all is our faith.”

Gilligan said overall, the event was extremely successful. “You know, there are some really good Catholic legislators. So when they see so many Catholic people together, they are affirmed. It is something that makes you feel great,” he said.

View Pictures from Catholics at the Capitol

After the school children’s rally in the rotunda, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago stops to visit and have his picture taken with some Catholic school students. Cardinal George is the current president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Dan Frachey, director of Christian Formation at St. Jude Parish in Rochester, meets with 100th District State Representative Rich Brauer on March 4 as part of Catholics at the Capitol day. “I found Rep. Brauer to be very interested in what I had to say. He was very supportive,” said Frachey. “This was the first of many visits I plan to make to my legislator.” Also shown is Sheri Stone, legislative liaison to Rep. Brauer.

Students from Cathedral School in Springfield cheer as their diocese is recognized during opening remarks at the rally. The school choir, Cantores, sang several songs at the rally. With the Cathedral just seven blocks from the Capitol, students and teachers walked to and from the event.

Gathered for a group picture in the Hall of Flags at the Howlett Building in the Capitol complex, where the Catholics at the Capitol opening session was held, are: Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, Peoria; Bishop Peter Sartain, Joliet; Bishop Thomas Doran, Rockford; Cardinal Francis George, Chicago; Bishop George Lucas, Springfield, and Bishop Edward Braxton, Belleville.

Gilligan accompanied the Illinois bishops when they met with Illinois Gov. Patrick Quinn and legislative leaders of both parties. Priests, deacons, religious, lay people, members of the Springfield diocesan curia and a good number of Catholic school students also took time that morning to talk with their legislators.

The nine months it took to plan the event was well worthwhile, said Zachary Wichmann, associate director of CCI. “It was a great day. The physical presence alone was impressive,” he said. “I had people who are at the Capitol all the time tell me they had never seen such a big crowd. The crowd was just incredible.”

“What you saw were hundreds, if not thousands of people taking time out to be there, so people put faces to the voices,” Gilligan said. “It was a wonderful testament to what the Catholic Church stands for in the state of Illinois. These were people working to better the conditions of people they’ll never meet.”  

Gilligan concluded there is some real interest in holding another Catholics at the Capitol day in the future. “There’s a strong desire to do it again,” he said. “I do think it was a wonderful day and a great way to witness the influence of the Catholic Church.”

The Catholic legislative agenda

Here are some of the issues that have been identified as priorities by the Catholic Conference of Illinois:

• Oppose the so-called Reproductive Health and Access Act: This legislation would force healthcare workers to participate in objectionable procedures such as abortion for fear of losing their employment or funding.

• Provide support for marriage: The state should recognize and support marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The Catholic Conference opposes state sanction of marriage between members of the same gender.

• Provide information for women considering abortion: An abortion provider should offer a pregnant woman the opportunity to view a sonogram of her unborn child on site or at a local provider.

• Expand the education expense tax credit: Because parents are the primary educators of their children, the Education Expense Tax Credit should be increased from $500 to $1,000 in order to support their right to choose schools best suited to their families.

• Abolish the death penalty: The safety of others and protection and defense of human life can be accomplished through alternatives to the death penalty, such as sentences of natural life.

• Ensure prompt payment and cost-of-doing-business increases: Social service providers, such as Catholic Charities, should be paid promptly for services and receive regular increases in fees to cover the effects of inflation.

• Ease the Medicaid crisis: Long-term care providers continue to suffer from extraordinarily long payment cycles — sometimes as long as six months. The state should be required to make payment within 30 days.

• Fund community-based English language classes: English proficiency classes, offered by community organizations including parishes, would assist immigrants to better integrate and participate in their communities and work.