Education Newsletter: January 2014
Consider this edition of our education newsletter a primer on the basics on advocating for our Catholic schools. Learn about school choice, state regulations and funding of grant programs, including the all-important Textbook Block Grant. Read about it here in our...
CCI Radio Hour: Jan. 27, 2014
Jan. 27, 2014 show CCI staffers Marilou Gervacio and Zach Wichmann join Bob to talk about the 2014 spring legislative session, which begins on Jan. 29 with the governor's State of the State address. Bob is then joined by Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA, an...
"91 Days" offers daily readings from Church's Social Teaching
Ever wonder how Pope Francis comes up with such great comments? He's got a great source -- the Social Teaching of the Church. The Catholic Conference of Illinois is offering a 91-day program of daily, emailed readings of the Social Teaching of the Church. Now is...
CCI Radio Hour: Dec. 16, 2013
Dec. 16, 2013 show Mary Hallan-FioRito of the Archdiocese of Chicago kicked off the program by talking with Bob about the upcoming Chicago March for Life on Sun., Jan. 19. Cardinal George of the Archdiocese of Chicago will appear at the March, as will WLS radio host...
Cardinal George, other faith leaders call for immigration reform
Cardinal George of the Archdiocese of Chicago today joined with other faith leaders in the Chicagoland area to call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The U.S. Senate in late June passed sweeping legislation leading to eventual citizenship for...
CCI Radio Hour: Nov. 18, 2013
Nov. 18, 2013 show Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- aka food stamps -- received a cut in their monthly allotment on Nov. 1, when an extra financial boost from stimulus funding expired. Diane Dougherty, executive director of the Illinois...
Cardinal George, Illinois bishops reflect on passage of redefinition of marriage legislation and House debate
The Illinois House on Nov. 5 passed Senate Bill 10 on a 61-54 vote, with two lawmakers voting "present." The legislation changes the state's definition of marriage from "between a man and a woman" to "between two persons." The Senate...
CCI issues statement on House passage of redefinition of marriage legislation
The Illinois House today passed Senate Bill 10 on a 61-54 vote, with two voting "present." The Senate approved the legislation on Feb. 14, 2013. Gov. Pat Quinn has said he will sign the legislation into law. (View the House roll call here.) SB 10 changes the...
Education Newsletter: November 2013
School visits from the Illinois State Board of Education are needed in order to garner state recognition this year. The Catholic Conference of Illinois worked with the Board to focus on the backlog of state visits -- those schools that have not been visited since 2007...
'Defend Marriage Lobby Day' draws 2,500 to state Capitol
More than 2,500 Illinois residents descended upon the state Capitol on Wed., Oct. 23 for a "Defend Marriage Lobby Day." Efforts to change the state's legal definition of marriage from "between a man and a woman" to "between two persons" dominated the legislative...