Responsible Citizenship
“In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do.”
-- Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,
U.S. Catholic Bishops (Nov 2007)
About Us
Overview
Who We Are
The Virginia Catholic Conference is the public policy advocacy organization representing Bishop Francis DiLorenzo, Diocese of Richmond, and Bishop Paul Loverde, Diocese of Arlington, on matters before the Virginia General Assembly, the U.S. Congress, and the state and federal administrations and their agencies.
Who We Represent:
The Catholic presence in Virginia includes:
663,842 registered Catholics
2 Dioceses (the Dioceses of Arlington and Richmond)
220 Catholic parishes and missions
431 Priests and 146 Deacons
325 Religious Sisters and Brothers
82 Catholic pre-school, primary and high schools enrolling more than 27,600 students, and employing 3,300 employees
63,383 students enrolled in parish religious education programs
10 Catholic hospitals, employing 11,982 people
18 homes for the aged
3 Catholic Charities, serving 98,575 clients and employing 301 people
2 Catholic newspapers with a combined circulation of approximately 134,000
2 Catholic colleges, two graduate schools; one distance university, enrolling approximately 4,040 students
Virginia General Assembly
What We Do
The Conference advocates for:
Respect life initiatives to protect human life and dignity in every stage of development and circumstance.
Social justice initiatives to give first claim to the rights and needs of the poorest and most vulnerable members of the human family.
Family life and education initiatives to preserve the institution of marriage, support the family, and promote parental choice in education.
How We Do It
The Conference advocates through:
- Contacts with state and federal lawmakers
- Resources applying Church teaching to current issues
- Promotion of grassroots advocacy
- Communication with media outlets