Catholic Conference of Ohio The official representative of the Catholic Church in public matters affecting the Church and the general welfare of the citizens of Ohio.

During the first week of Ohio’s lame duck period, the time after a general election and before a new General Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 504 would specifically address penalties for disturbing a religious gathering. The bill was introduced in response to protestors disrupting the Diocese of Columbus’ Respect Life Mass and several gatherings of Ohio’s Jewish community. The Conference also testified in support of SB 46, which would create an office and commission on Eastern European affairs. The testimony noted the Church’s call to promote and integrate immigrants, and the vibrancy Ohioans of Eastern European origin bring to our Catholic churches.

During the first week of Ohio’s lame duck period, the time after a general election and before a new General Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 504 would specifically address penalties for disturbing a religious gathering. The bill was introduced in response to protestors disrupting the Diocese of Columbus’ Respect Life Mass and several gatherings of Ohio’s Jewish community. See the CCO’s testimony in support of HB 504 here. The Conference also testified in support of SB 46, which would create an office and commission on Eastern European affairs. The testimony noted the Church’s call to promote and integrate immigrants, and the vibrancy Ohioans of Eastern European origin bring to our Catholic churches.

On the weekend of November 12-13, Catholics across the United States have the opportunity to honor the World Day of the Poor and help their neighbors who struggle against poverty by giving to the annual special collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Coinciding with the annual observation of World Day of the Poor (November 13), established by Pope Francis in 2017, CCHD responds to the call to accompany our brothers and sisters experiencing poverty: “Where the poor are concerned, it is not talk that matters; what matters is rolling up our sleeves and putting our faith into practice through a direct involvement, one that cannot be delegated.” See Pope Francis' message for World Day of the Poor here.

Each of Ohio's six dioceses has a CCHD coordinator. You can find their contact information here. 

See the USCCB's complete statement for this year's CCHD collection and World Day of the Poor here.

Several of the USCCB's Bishop Chairmen released a letter to Congress with policy recommendations that cohere with the Church’s vision for an authentically life-affirming society that prioritizes the well-being of families. They wrote in part, “There are serious cultural, social, economic, and spiritual challenges that face women, families, and children today. These are challenges that concern the common good. Ensuring that no children grow up in poverty, that parents have time away from work to care for them, that families are formed and remain intact, that the healthcare necessary for healthy moms and children is affordable, that workplace policies respect pregnant and nursing mothers, that child care is affordable and high quality but also not forced on families by financial pressures, that no children are hungry or homeless, that toxic chemicals do not cause babies to have birth defects or cancer, that immigrant families be treated in accord with their inviolable dignity – all of these goals require the cooperation of all and the exclusion of none. Goals like these cannot be achieved by individual efforts alone and will necessarily require collaborative work on the part of our government leaders.”  

The Catholic Conference of Ohio continues policy advocacy on the state level to help make Ohio more life-affirming, especially for women and families. We’re grateful to Governor DeWine for his recent proposals to enhance Ohio’s Bold Beginning Initiative, which would make Ohio more welcoming and hospitable to women and children. We look forward to further promoting the Church’s vision for all people to flourish and contribute to the common good throughout Ohio.

See the full letter HERE.

Check out the most recent Catholic Conference of Ohio newsletter by clicking "read more" below. Subscribe to receive our newsletter through email here. We look forward to sending newsletters and advocacy alerts to you through our new advocacy platform.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is developing a new advocacy alert and newsletter system to help keep you up to date with the latest happenings at the Ohio Statehouse. This system allows you to write legislators, and keep up with news and policy information provided by the Conference. All we need to get you started is your email and zip code. 

Click on read more to sign up today.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio is grateful a federal court lifted the injunction on Ohio's Heartbeat Law. Now, unborn children are legally protected from abortion at the moment a heartbeat is detected. We urge the Ohio General Assembly to pass further protections for all unborn children and consider transformative family policies that help parents and children flourish in Ohio. As the Ohio Bishops wrote on Friday, our commitment to protecting and promoting life includes providing resources and accompanying women during and after pregnancy through our numerous social service agencies and parishes. Let us not tire of forming a culture of life in both personal encounters and public policy that reflect God’s immeasurable love for each human life from conception to natural death.