September 4, 2014

Public policy commission

I have the honor of serving on the diocesan Public Policy Commission which meets quarterly.  Our task is to assist the diocese in addressing public policy matters and communicating the Church's teachings.  We had our first meeting of the school year yesterday and Bishop Libasci joined us.  The bishop highlighted some areas he would like to focus on this year, namely homelessness, poverty, life issues, and immigration to name a few.  He said that last spring's effort to repeal the death penalty with so many other faiths was an image of the Kingdom of God where people of all walks of life came together to work on such an important issue.

We also heard an updated on legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session and efforts to educate Catholics on voting.  Along those lines, I am working on an idea to personally encourage every student to register to vote upon turning 18.  I am going to give them a handout on how to register (which of course is very easy) and the text of the 26th amendment which lowered the age of voting from 21 to 18.  I registered to vote the day I turned 18 and I've only missed on election my entire life - the 2003 municipal elections in Boston.  For whatever reason, I was unable to make it the polls that day but I have voted in every other primary, special election, local election, etc. since 1994.  It makes me so happy when students come up to me and tell me they registered to vote.   So many people don't even bother and it's important to inspire and encourage our students to not be apathetic and to use their God given rights!

   

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