A Scholarship Opportunity for Our Students, If Wisconsin Opts In
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| The Catholic bishops of Wisconsin are pleased to announce the creation of the Wisconsin Catholic Scholarship Granting Organization (WICSGO). This organization will serve students in Catholic schools around the state by facilitating scholarships funded through the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit.
Last year, Congress created the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC), a federal scholarship tax credit that will serve K-12 students in public, private, and charter schools nationwide. Donors contribute to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) which distribute scholarships to students. This nonrefundable tax credit is $1,700 for individuals or $3,400 for couples married filing jointly. The federal tax credit will first be available in 2027.
However, federal law requires each state to opt in to allow students to receive scholarships and allow SGOs to operate in their state. To participate, a governor must submit a list of approved SGOs to the U.S. Treasury Department.
To date, Wisconsin has not opted in. If Wisconsin does not opt in, taxpayers could still donate and receive the federal tax credit, but their donations must go to SGOs in other states, benefitting students elsewhere instead of Wisconsin families.
The Church has long supported increased funding for education in both public and private schools. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Chairman of the Education Committee called the EFTC a “transformative opportunity for children across the country.” To learn more about WICSGO and the EFTC, please click below: |
Faithful Citizenship: Our Call as Catholic Citizens
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| With the General Election coming up on November 3, the WCC is sharing resources to help Catholics reflect on what it means to be a faithful citizen in public policy and voting issues. Faithful Citizenship is a call to action to become involved with legislative policy and to exercise the right to vote, so as to protect human life, uphold human dignity, and promote the common good. The WCC resources are based on the U.S. bishops’ statement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States.
Catholic Social Teaching helps to discern which public policies and politicians best embody a respect for human dignity and the common good. This is especially important at election time. As the U.S. bishops wrote, “On these often complex matters, it is the laity’s responsibility to form their consciences and grow in the virtue of prudence to approach the many and varied issues of the day with the mind of Christ.”
To form our consciences, the following questions can help Catholics discern who best embodies the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Where does a candidate stand on:
- protecting human life from conception to natural death?
- eliminating abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, and the death penalty?
- upholding the innate equality, dignity, and complementarity of male and female?
- protecting marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman?
- respecting the family and parents as the primary educators of their children?
- providing resources to vulnerable women and children?
- protecting religious freedom at home and abroad?
- eliminating violence, whether by guns, war, terrorism, torture, abuse, or trafficking?
- assuring basic support for people living in poverty, domestically and internationally?
- treating all migrants and refugees with dignity and respect?
- eliminating racism?
- increasing access to housing, healthcare, and education?
- upholding the dignity of work and the rights of workers?
- preserving our environment and natural resources?
- and all that promotes human dignity and the common good?
Catholic Social Teaching does not neatly fit into party platforms. Rather, it reflects ethical principles that can unite all people. As faithful Catholics and American citizens, we are all called to participate in public life with the mind of Christ.
Important Note on Faithful Citizenship
The Catholic Church does not endorse candidates for public office. The Wisconsin Catholic Conference is the public policy voice of the Catholic bishops of Wisconsin. Any group that endorses or appears to endorse candidates does not speak for the Catholic Church. Information on elections that has been approved by the bishops of Wisconsin, including the Guidelines for Church Involvement in Electoral Politics, can be found at wisconsincatholic.org/fc. |
Protecting Life this Respect Life Month
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| Each October since 1973, the Catholic Church in the United States observes Respect Life Month and focuses on reflecting more deeply on the dignity and gift of human life–from conception to natural death. This year, the theme is Mary, Mother of Life. “Our Blessed Mother is our model for upholding the sanctity of all human life in every stage and circumstance. We entrust all our efforts to protect mothers and babies to her motherly care, which we greatly need at this time,” said Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
“Today, with easier access to abortion pills, the abortion rate is tragically climbing, along with increased health risks,” said Bishop Thomas. “This means that more women, many of whom have been misinformed about the nature and risks of the abortion pill, will have an abortion alone at home, without any medical supervision. It also sets up additional opportunities for exploitation by violent partners or human traffickers. These affronts to human dignity demand our response.”
Through a focused effort of prayer and action to stop the spread of the abortion pill, the faithful are encouraged to learn about the dangers of the abortion pill and take action by sending messages to pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. If you haven’t already, please send your message below: |
More Updates from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
For more of the USCCB’s current federal action alerts, click here. |
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