Providing the Catholics of Illinois a voice in public policy

Illinois Bishops Urge Catholics to Help Save Tax Credit Scholarship Program

Stop Repeal of Parental Notice
The Illinois Catholic bishops have written a letter to the Catholic faithful urging them to contact their lawmakers to oppose a bill to repeal parental notice of abortion when a minor seeks an abortion.

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Prison and Jail Ministry

CCI coordinates a statewide effort of prison and jail ministry offered through the dioceses. Lay Catholics receive training to offer hope to inmates through the salvation of the Gospel.

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Catholics in Illinois

The Latest News & Updates

Illinois bishops issue letter urging Catholics to save Tax Credit Scholarship program

May 4, 2021

Our Illinois bishops today issued a letter to Catholics across Illinois, urging them to contact state lawmakers to save the Tax Credit Scholarship program from cuts proposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in his budget plan released in February.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois Opposes House Bill 1736: the expansive REACH Act

Apr 20, 2021

House Bill 1736, known as the Responsible Education for Adolescent and Children’s Health (REACH) Act, seeks to expand and extend sex education in public schools. The bill does not impact what is taught in Catholic schools; however, there are a number of...

Join Clean Energy Advocacy Day – April 26

Apr 20, 2021

Join Catholics from throughout the state of Illinois for the Clean Energy Advocacy Day on April 26, 2021. Talk virtually with your state legislators about principles of clean energy. See more information on this flyer.

CCI celebrates Predatory Loan Prevention Act becoming law

Mar 23, 2021

The Catholic Conference of Illinois is proud to announce that Gov. J.B. Pritzker today signed into law Senate Bill 1792, creating the Predatory Loan Prevention Act, which caps the annual percentage rate (APR) on payday and auto title loans at 36%. Illinois becomes the 18th state to cap APRs at 36%, along with the District of Columbia.

CCI Radio Hour: March 15, 2021

Mar 15, 2021

Bill Woolf, a human trafficking expert who has done trainings for USCCB, talks about the link between parental notice of abortion and raising a red flag about trafficking victims. Next, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka of Aguduth-Israel discusses the importance of the Tax Credit Scholarship program to Jewish schools as the scholarship program for nonpublic schools faces a cut proposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Then, Tony Cube of USCCB’s Justice for Immigrants initiative talks about the actions President Joe Biden has taken in favor of immigrants since assuming office in late January, and what’s ahead on the political horizon, including the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. Finally, Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, talks about sponsoring Senate Bill 133, the Ultrasound Opportunity Act.

Illinois bishops issue letter urging Catholics to fight repeal of parental notice of abortion law

Mar 15, 2021

Our Illinois bishops today issued a letter to Catholics across the state, urging them to contact their state lawmakers and tell them to reject a current effort to repeal Illinois' parental notice of abortion law.

Catholic Conference responds to Gov. Pritzker’s proposed cut to Tax Credit Scholarship program

Feb 17, 2021

Gov. J.B. Pritzker today unveiled his budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1, proposing a cut to the Tax Credit Scholarship program that allows low-income and working-class students to receive scholarships to Catholic and other nonpublic schools. The Catholic Conference today issued a statement in response to Pritzker's proposal.

Legislation introduced repealing parental notice of abortion law

Feb 16, 2021

It's back. An attempt to repeal the state's parental notice of abortion law will be made during the spring session of the Illinois Legislature. State Rep. Ana Moeller, D-Elgin, today filed House Bill 1797, which calls for lawmakers to dismantle current law requiring an adult family member to be notified when a minor girl seeks an abortion. Similar legislation was filed during the spring 2019 legislative session, when that bill passed a Senate committee but was not called for a vote on the Senate floor.

CCI Radio Hour: Feb. 15, 2021

Feb 15, 2021

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, talks about the potential for ending the federal death penalty under President Joe Biden. Next, Anthony Holter, president of Empower Illinois, discusses the organization’s recently released annual report on the Tax Credit Scholarship program. Then, Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Teutopolis, talks about House Bill 697, which calls for a 50% income tax credit on contributions to pregnancy resource centers. Finally, Geno Fernandez, president of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s school board, talks about the Archdiocese’s $1.4 million Gratitude Fund, which distributed bonuses to school employees as a thank-you for their efforts toward in-person learning during the pandemic.

CCI joins social justice groups in urging Gov. Pritzker to sign Predatory Loan Prevention Act into law

Jan 25, 2021

The Catholic Conference of Illinois today joined over 100 social justice organizations and businesses in calling upon Gov. J.B. Pritzker to sign into law the Predatory Loan Prevention Act as embodied in Senate Bill 1792. The legislation caps interest rates on payday and car title loans at 36%.

Find Your Legislator

Find out who are your elected officials, and how to contact them. Learn who is in the state leadership positions, and who sits on relevant committees in the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives.