Catholic Conference of Ohio The official voice of the Catholic Church in Ohio on matters of public policy and government relations.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio (CCO), the official representative of the Catholic Church in matters of public policy and government relations in Ohio, is seeking an Associate Director to advocate on all issues related to Catholic moral and social teaching, except Catholic education. 

The primary responsibility of the Associate Director is to monitor, evaluate, and propose responses to legislative and public policy issues in which the Church is interested. The person in this position also convenes regular meetings with various diocesan staff members to collaborate on issues across Ohio. The Associate Director reports to the Executive Director of the CCO.

View the full job description and application process >

"In proclaiming the Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis showed us through his words and actions the Christian mission. We will remember exhortations of Pope Francis to shake off our indifference to suffering, get out of our comfort zones, and bring the light of Christ to those often discarded by society. We, at the Catholic Conference of Ohio, will continue to give thanks for Pope Francis' service to the Church and world while mourning his death.” - Brian Hickey, Executive Director for the CCO

Bishop of Ohio statements:

Archbishop Robert G. Casey & Archbishop Emeritus Dennis M. Schnurr, Cincinnati >
Bishop Edward C. Malesic, Cleveland >
Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, Columbus >
Bishop Edward M. Lohse, Steubenville >
Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, Toledo >
Bishop David. J. Bonnar, Youngstown >
Bishop Robert M. Pipta, Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma >

In response to the introduction of House Bill 72 and Senate Bill 134, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio sent a letter to members of the 136th General Assembly urging them to uphold a consistent ethic of life by prohibiting the State of Ohio from funding the intentional termination of human life­­­­––including abortion, euthanasia, and execution––and to abolish the death penalty in favor of life without parole.

The bishops wrote, “A government that sanctions the destruction of human life through taxpayer funding of abortion, euthanasia, or the use of capital punishment undermines the dignity of those it exists to serve and protect. If taxpayer dollars are used to end life in the womb and hasten the death of the elderly, infirm, and suffering, what message does this send? Instead, state funds should be used to advance the common good and to accompany and support those in need.“

The bishops also call for the abolition of the death penalty, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states, “…more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.” 
 
Click “Read more” to view the full letter. Click here to learn more about HB 72 and SB 134.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of Senate Bill 86 to prohibit the sale of intoxicating hemp products, except for sales at licensed dispensaries; to regulate drinkable cannabinoid products, and to levy taxes on drinkable cannabinoid products and other intoxicating hemp products. CCO stated, “The rapid spread of unregulated intoxicating hemp products represents a serious threat not just to public safety but to the moral fabric of our state. … By setting clear guidelines on permitted THC levels and requiring rigorous testing, labeling, and advertising standards, SB 86 ensures that consumers are informed, products are accurately represented, and minors are protected.”

 Click “Read more” for the full testimony.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified today in support of House Bill 84, the Innocence Act, which would enforce age verification for access to obscene materials and prohibit using another person’s likeness to create sexual images. The research on pornography is clear and unanimous: its effects are gravely injurious to young people. This bill responds to one of the most pressing needs of our time: the protection and elevation of human dignity.

Click "Read more" to view the full testimony.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of school choice proposals in House Bill 96, the budget bill. While expressing appreciation for supporting Catholic school families through the EdChoice program, the CCO requested consideration of two proposals. First, to extend Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA) to chartered nonpublic school students living in high-poverty areas. The second proposal is to allow the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship amounts in chartered nonpublic schools to match those in public districts. Governor DeWine's Executive Budget retained all the school choice programs currently in effect during the 2024-2025 school year.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio (CCO) warmly welcomes Archbishop-designate Robert G. Casey as the incoming chairman of the Board of Directors for the conference after Pope Francis appointed him as the eleventh archbishop of Cincinnati, succeeding Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr.

Brian Hickey, executive director of CCO offered the following comments:
“We congratulate Archbishop-designate Robert G. Casey on his appointment as Archbishop of Cincinnati and welcome him as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Catholic Conference of Ohio. In addition, we are grateful for Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr’s steady leadership and pastoral guidance in Ohio over the past 16-plus years. Archbishop Schnurr’s love for Jesus Christ was evident nationally and in Ohio through his tireless governance and unwavering support for the poor and vulnerable in all times and seasons. The Catholic Conference of Ohio will miss Archbishop Schnurr’s guidance, but we wish him abundant joy and peace in retirement.”

Click "Read more" for additional details.

In response to Governor Mike DeWine’s final executive budget, Brian Hickey, executive director for the Catholic Conference of Ohio, released the following statement:

“We commend Governor DeWine’s continued commitment to Ohio’s families and children through the Executive Budget, especially the proposed state child tax credit – a long-sought policy goal of the Catholic Conference for Ohio’s families. This would be a meaningful investment in recognizing Ohio’s families as the primary social institution of society and the foundation of Ohio’s future. We also commend the DeWine administration for identifying ways to use taxation for the common good, including recognizing the ongoing harms and addictive nature of sports gambling. Additionally, we thank Gov. DeWine for his commitment to educational options for Ohio’s families, and we look forward to sharing more about the life-changing difference Ohio’s school choice programs have had for children and parents in the budget deliberation process.”  

The Catholic Conference of Ohio participated in a press conference today to introduce a new bill prohibiting state funding that intentionally terminates human life at any stage and circumstance in Ohio.

Bills to prohibit state-funded death will soon be introduced in the Ohio Senate, led by Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Senator Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), and in the Ohio House of Representatives, led by Representative Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Representative Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland). Both bills reinforce current law banning state funding for abortion, abolish the death penalty, and expand protections against assisted suicide by linking these prohibitions together. Uniting the state’s prohibition on funding any one of these practices protects current pro-life laws, especially from future litigation, by binding them to broader bans on state funding. The bill places each provision in the same category in the Ohio Revised Code. While these issues have strong opinions on their own, the bills seek consensus that Ohioans’ tax dollars should not fund practices that they believe immorally end a human life. 

Click 'Read more' for details.

As attention remains on Springfield and in preparation for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on September 29, the Catholic bishops of Ohio issued the letter linked below.

In the letter, the bishops of Ohio state, “Today, our nation is divided by partisanship and ideology, which blind us to the image of God in our neighbor, especially the unborn, the poor, and the stranger. These negative sentiments are only exacerbated by gossip, which can spread quickly across social media with no concern for the truth or those involved.”

Read the full letter here: English | Spanish

For more information on World Day of Migrants and Refugees, celebrated on September 29, 2024, visit the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development website.