Monday, Jun 15, 2015

June 15, 2015 show

CCI's own Zach Wichmann joins Bob to urge listeners to call or email their state lawmakers to support the Illinois Kids Campaign. This initiative would increase the education expenses tax credit to $1,000 from $500, and would create scholarships for kids to attend Catholic schools. Next, Anita Bedell of the Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems talks about the real possibility of gambling expansion to fix revenue problems for both the state and the city of Chicago. Then, Hillary Byrnes of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joins the show to talk about the upcoming Fortnight for Freedom slated for June 21-July 4 and its theme of "Freedom to Bear Witness." Finally, Fr. Chris Reuter, O.F.M., prison ministry coordinator for the Belleville diocese, discusses the testimony he gave at a recent meeting of the Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform. This new commission created by Gov. Bruce Rauner seeks to reduce Illinois' prison population by 25 percent by 2025.