Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Next Tuesday, a number of our Catholic faithful and I will make our way to Madison – our state capitol – to participate in “Catholics at the Capitol.” Every two years, all five dioceses of the State of Wisconsin gather together to exercise our right to participate in our democratic process.

My first involvement with “Catholics at the Capitol” was as bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. I was proud to lead a contingency of La Crosse Catholics, students and parishioners. I was very impressed by the major addresses and the breakout sessions that informed the participants and presented the Catholic positions on a number of issues. This gathering is sponsored by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC), the representative arm of the bishops to state legislators.

Prayers are offered to begin the day, and this year’s keynote address tackles the topic of human trafficking – the buying and selling of human flesh. We often dismiss this topic as something that could not happen in our towns or city, but rather in some underdeveloped countries. Yet all the statistics show that our city, Milwaukee, is a center for human traffickers. This is a modern form of slavery, and should be a concern for all Catholics and Christians who promote the dignity and freedom of all people.

The breakout sessions educate Catholics in the various areas of human concerns and the issues of justice, which we face as a Church and community: pro-life, poverty, immigration, education, political responsibility and others. Catholic leaders who are on the front lines of these various areas conduct these sessions. They offer insights and strategies into an understanding of Catholic teachings.

A lunch is served, allowing some time for discussion with fellow participants and sharing some of the practices initiated by them in their parishes and their schools.

The day concludes with the participants being invited to walk over to the capitol and meet with their legislators, where they can present their views on these social issues affecting our Church and community.

This is a model of peaceful participation in the democratic process. In recent days, the political process has reflected chaos, people shouting so that no one can be heard, ad hominem arguments (name-calling) and an abdication of voting responsibility. “Catholics at the Capitol” returns a dignity that belongs to the best of the political process.

In general, the legislators are very kind and generous with their time. These Catholic constituents, either now or in a few short years, will have the power of the vote. It is to their benefit that they listen to their voices. The younger participants learn how to involve themselves in political dialogue and presentations of their issues to their legislators.

Some 300 fellow Catholics will participate in the day. I am grateful for the time they take from their busy schedules to attend. They will represent all five of our dioceses, but they are a tiny representation of the over 1.5 million Catholics in the State of Wisconsin. Imagine if even a 1,000 Catholics walked together to the capitol, that optic alone would increase the “political gravitas” of the Catholic voice and issues.

If you have a free day on March 28, join me at the capitol with other Catholics to put our faith into action. You can register online by clicking here.

Why do we go to the capitol? It’s simple – because we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the March 21, 2017 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.