MADISON — On the Wednesday after Easter, April 8, Catholics from around the state will meet at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison for Catholics at the Capitol 2015.
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) in cooperation with other Catholic organizations, this biennial event is a day of prayer, formation, and advocacy.
The theme for this year’s event, “A Church United in Hope and Love,” highlights how we as Catholics can change policy and lives through a culture of encounter.
The day starts with registration and breakfast, followed by a morning general session that begins with a prayer service and ends with a keynote address.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Jonathan J. Reyes, executive director of the Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, will discuss how we as a Church can combat issues such as poverty and society’s “culture of exclusion” by recognizing and respecting the human dignity of every person.
Breakout sessions will examine the causes of poverty, the pain of abortion, immigration, racial disparity, the Synod on the Family, environmental stewardship, and many other topics. Experts from around the state will be on hand to examine issues that advance the common good and offer suggestions on how to engage in effective advocacy.
“This event gives Catholics a unique opportunity to heighten their appreciation for the Church’s teaching and apply it to policy debates occurring in Wisconsin,” said WCC Executive Director John Huebscher. “It is a day of formation and engagement. Catholics come together to pray, learn about issues, and make personal contact with public officials and their staff.”
Registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the opening prayer service will start at 9:15 a.m. When the afternoon general session adjourns at 3:25 p.m., participants will be encouraged to walk over to the State Capitol to meet with their legislators.
Deadline for registration is Tuesday, March 31. For those who register in advance, the registration fee is $40 for non-students and $12 for full-time students. Same-day registration is $48 for all non-students.
For more information, call the Wisconsin Catholic Conference at 608-257-0004 or visit the WCC’s website at www.wisconsincatholic.org
Details on how to arrange meetings with legislators, as well as other important information, will be provided in the registration confirmation packet.