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Wisconsin Catholic Conference

The Public Policy Voice of the Catholic Church in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) was founded in 1969 by the Bishops of Wisconsin. The Conference seeks to fulfill the vision of the Second Vatican Council, which called upon the Church to be more involved in the world.

With the message of the Gospel and the social teachings of the Church at its foundation, the WCC offers a specifically Catholic contribution to state and federal public policy debates. The Conference also offers a statewide response to issues common to its five dioceses.

Functions of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference

Advocacy

Serves as an advocate on matters related to the interests and values of the Church

Analysis

Provides decision makers with studied positions on social and moral issues

Collaboration

Offers a forum to meet and exchange information, and deliberate and recommend policies or actions

Education

Formulates and publishes opinions and positions on legislation and public policy

WCC Board of Directors

The Bishops of Wisconsin comprise the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference. The President of the Board is the Archbishop of Milwaukee. The Board meets three times a year to review issues and set the WCC’s legislative agenda.

  • Archdiocese of Milwaukee

    • The Most Reverend Jeffrey S. Grob, Archbishop of Milwaukee, WCC President
    • The Most Reverend Jeffrey R. Haines, Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee
    • The Most Reverend James T. Schuerman, Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee
    • The Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki, Archbishop Emeritus of Milwaukee

  • Diocese of Madison

    • The Most Reverend Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Madison, WCC Vice President

  • Diocese of Green Bay

    • The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, Bishop of Green Bay, WCC Secretary/Treasurer

  • Diocese of La Crosse

    • The Most Reverend Gerard W. Battersby, Bishop of La Crosse
    • The Most Reverend William P. Callahan, Bishop Emeritus of La Crosse

  • Diocese of Superior

    • The Most Reverend James P. Powers, Bishop of Superior

WCC Staff

Barbara Sella has worked at the WCC since 2002, where she covered education, pro-life, and social concerns issues.  She holds a doctorate in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto.  As WCC Executive Director, she also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Church Unemployment Pay Program, Inc.

Tia Izzia earned her Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Wisconsin­ La Follette School of Public Affairs in 2021, while working at the Thompson Center on Public Leadership.  She studied theology and philosophy at Benedictine College and worked in nonprofits serving mothers in need and individuals with disabilities.

David Earleywine is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.  He interned at the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Madison City Attorney’s office and worked in Catholic youth formation.  He studied political science and organizational leadership at Carroll University.

For over thirty years, Coyle-Kaufmann has managed the operations of the WCC office. From fielding incoming calls to designing publications, she maintains order and continuity in the office.

Join the Work of the WCC

“As Catholics, … we cannot be content with a marginal or private faith. This does not mean demanding to be heard, but above all, having the courage to make proposals for justice and peace in the public debate.”

Pope Francis

As faithful Catholics, staying up to date on public policy issues and getting involved in the political process can seem overly daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Join the WCC’s Advocacy Network to receive action alerts and the biweekly Capitol Update for information on legislative activity and WCC advocacy. Acting together, we can make a real difference!

Join Now!

What More Can I Do?

Pray

The WCC encourages you to pray about issues close to your heart and those important for your community. Seek God’s guidance about how best to respond. Additionally, pray for public officials and those in public service that they advance laws to uphold the dignity of the human person and promote the common good. 

Learn

Learn more about issues and stay informed on developments. Some problems are best handled not at the state level, but at the local or even national level. Other issues may need a groundswell of local support before they are ready to be taken up. 

Engage

Engage family, friends, and neighbors in civil dialogue. Find common ground among those with whom you disagree and build bridges.

Act

Take courage and act. Contact your legislator and let them know what issues are important to you. Beyond contacting your legislators, be an advocate in your community, volunteer in your parish or local ministries, and be an active citizen in your government.

For information on the Church Unemployment Pay Program, click below:

Church Unemployment Pay Program