California Catholic Conference Top Priorities for 2003/04

The California Catholic Conference top priorities for advocacy efforts during 2003/04.

Reverence for Life

We hold life sacred from conception to natural death. We regret that abortion is legal and we advocate for common sense restrictions. We support adult stem cell research but oppose cloning and experiments on embryos. We oppose both legalized assisted suicide and capital punishment.

Religious Freedom

We understand religious liberty is a fundamental principle of our society. We call for constant vigilance to protect the freedom of persons and institutions to respond to God in accordance with their faith. We acknowledge the need to balance the rights of religion and the compelling interests of the state.

Human and Civil Rights

We advocate for access to job training for those in need and for adequate health coverage for all. We oppose unjust discrimination. We call for affordable and available housing. We advocate for a restorative justice approach for criminal offenders, especially juveniles.

Economic Rights

We hold that all people have the right to the necessities of life. We advocate for food and income security for our low-income neighbors, especially immigrants. We support the rights of workers, promote the idea of both fair wages and fair taxes, and advocate for a just and compassionate state budget.

Education

We believe that parents are the primary educators of their children. We advocate for their right to be involved in their children's school and its curriculum. We seek improved quality in all state schools just treatment for all private schools. We call for the equitable access to government programs for all qualifying children.

Family Life

We defend and support the institution of marriage as the basic foundation of society. We advocate for tax, workplace, divorce and welfare policies that enhance family unity. We acknowledge the fundamental rights of parents, and advocate for children's well-being.

A 4-fold brochure is available in PDF format that outlines the CCC Legislative priorities, explains the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, describes the Catholic community in California, and contains quotes on "faithful citizenship" by the U. S. bishops and the words of Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae.

Thirty-four other states have Catholic Conferences. The executive directors of the various Conferences are members of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors (NASCCD)

We as Catholics seek the common good. The shaping of public policy is not simply a task for others, but for each of us. We believe that in bringing the virtues and values we seek to uphold in our personal lives into the public arena, we will strengthen public life and build a better society.

There are over 10 million Catholics in California, which represents nearly one-third of the entire population in the state. They belong to 1,067 parishes located in 12 dioceses. They are served by 3,600 priests, 800 deacons and 29 bishops, two of them Archbishops, one who is a Cardinal.

The Catholic community also includes 49 Catholic hospitals, which annually assist 5.6 million patients; 13 colleges and universities, which enroll more than 41,000 students; 113 Catholic high schools, which serve 79,000 students; 605 Catholic elementary schools, which enroll 179,000 children; and 12 diocesan Catholic Charities agencies, which annually serve more than 1.3 million people of various ethnicity, social status and religion.

The Catholic Church is the largest private provider of healthcare, social services and education in the state of California.

Contact

California Catholic Conference
http://www.cacatholic.org CA, US
California Catholic Conference - Official Voice of the Catholic community in California's public policy arena., 916 443-4851

Email

conference@cacatholic.org

Keywords

Catholic, Public Policy, Political, Conference, Bishops

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