March for Life WI: Early Bird Bus Registration Ends May 8
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| Join us for the March for Life Wisconsin on Saturday, June 14 from 2-4pm at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. The March is hosted by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Pro-Life Wisconsin, Wisconsin Right to Life, and Wisconsin Family Council. The event will feature several speakers, including Bishop David Ricken from the Diocese of Green Bay. The event is free and open to the public.
Early bird pricing ($10/individual or $30/family) for bus registration ends on May 8. Starting May 9, tickets will increase to $15/individual or $45/family.
There is no need to register unless you plan to take one of the buses. Buses will pick up and drop off at the following locations (an exact itinerary will be provided prior to the event): |
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- Beloit
- Boscobel
- Chippewa Falls
- Delafield
- Dodgeville
- Fond du Lac
- Green Bay
- Janesville
- Johnson Creek
- Mauston
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- Onalaska
- Portage
- Prairie du Chien
- Sheboygan
- Sparta
- Sturtevant
- Superior
- Wausau
- Wauwatosa
- Wisconsin Dells
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Conclave to Elect Next Pope Begins Wednesday, May 7
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| The next papal conclave begins this Wednesday, May 7, as cardinals from around the world gather in Rome to elect the next pope. There are 252 total cardinals worldwide, but only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. This means that 135 cardinal electors will gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote. A new pope is elected when at least a two-thirds of the ballots (in this case, 89 total) are cast for him.
The cardinal electors can vote once on the first day of the conclave. After that, they can vote up to four times per day. At the end of every vote, the ballots are burned and smoke emerges from the Sistine Chapel chimney. Black smoke means the cardinals have not yet elected a pope, while white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.
You can read more about the history of the conclave, how the conclave works, and see inside the Sistine Chapel. Please keep the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, the cardinal electors, and the worldwide Church in your prayers. |
May 1 is Now St. Joseph the Worker Day in Wisconsin
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| On April 22, 2025, the Wisconsin State Legislature adopted Senate Joint Resolution 16 (Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee / Chuck Wichgers, R-Muskego), which officially designates May 1 as St. Joseph the Worker Day in Wisconsin. May 1 will annually serve as a day to honor the dignity of all working men and women in the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the second state in the country, after Louisiana, to mark May 1 as St. Joseph the Worker Day.
On St. Joseph the Worker Day, a celebration was held in the Capitol which included an invocation from Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee Jeffrey Haines and concluded with a reflection on the dignity of work by Bishop of Madison Donald Hying. |
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WCC Action at the Capitol
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Expanding TAD Programs ▲ Registered in support
SB 153 (André Jacque, R-De Pere) / AB 178 (Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc)
This bill expands Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) programs to include treatment for mental illness. Currently, TAD programs help to reduce recidivism, promote public safety, and provide treatment and alternatives to prosecution and incarceration for those battling drug and alcohol addiction. The Catholic Church is committed to raising awareness about mental health, removing its stigma, and advocating that those who struggle receive help.
Status: Since the public hearing, the Senate committee has taken no further action.
| Homestead Tax Credit ▲ Registered in support
SB 60 (Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit) / AB 52 (Mike Bare, D-Verona)
This bill increases the homestead tax credit to $35,000 from the current $24,680, so that those most in need can lower their housing costs.
Status: The bill awaits a public hearing.
State Income Tax Subtraction for School Teachers ▲ Registered in support
SB 69 (Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac) / AB 64 (David Armstrong, R-Rice Lake)
This bill provides a tax deduction for teachers who purchase classroom supplies or books out of pocket. The deduction mirrors the federal deduction for teachers, allowing them to deduct up to $300 on their state taxes.
Status: The bill passed unanimously out of the Assembly committee and is available for a floor vote.
Sales Tax Exemption for Gun Safes ▲ Registered in support
SB 12 (Van Wanggaard, R-Racine) / AB 10 (Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee)
This bill creates a tax exemption for the sale of gun safes, thereby incentivizing safe storage of firearms. The USCCB has supported similar measures in the past, noting that “there is strong evidence that safe gun storage (either in a safe or with a gun lock) significantly decreases the risk of gun violence, especially suicide.”
Status: The bill passed unanimously out of the Assembly committee and is available for a floor vote.
Pharmacists Prescribing Contraceptives ▼ Testified in opposition
AB 43 (Clint Moses, R-Menomonie)
This bill permits pharmacists to prescribe certain contraceptives. However, there are no requirements that a pharmacist test for pregnancy, order diagnostic exams that would provide a comprehensive assessment of a woman’s current health status or even have access to a woman’s complete medical history and records—all of which normally inform the medical decision-making process. Contraceptives have been associated with serious health risks, including depression, venous thromboembolism (VTE), stroke, heart attack, breast and cervical cancer, and more. In short, the bill could compromise patient safety.
Status: Since the public hearing, the committee has taken no further action.
WCC Public Policy Positions: Uphold Human Rights of Immigrants and Refugees
As we did last session, here we continue to elaborate on each of the WCC’s 2025 Public Policy Positions. You can learn more about Catholic Social Teaching on the USCCB website.
Uphold human rights of immigrants and refugees. The Church teaches that migration is a human right. Federal immigration reform must be comprehensive and include a temporary worker program, a viable path to legalization, due process, and family unification. Laws aimed at enforcement must distinguish between dangerous criminals and non-violent persons whose only offense is lack of proper status. Federal and Wisconsin laws must also protect immigrants and refugees from all exploitation and support their basic human rights. Wisconsin must especially assist refugees who have been harmed by armed conflict that involved the United States.
The Church’s immigration position is based in the Gospel: the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt after Christ’s birth (Mt 2:13-15) and Jesus insisting that when we welcome the stranger, we welcome Him (Mt 25:35,40).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) explains that “more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent that they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of security, and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin” (CCC 2241). In the same paragraph, the Church recognizes that nations may regulate immigration for the sake of the common good (CCC 2241). In short, the Church opposes both completely open borders and completely closed borders.
In February 2025, the Wisconsin bishops released a pastoral letter on immigration. Their letter both explained the Church’s teaching on immigration and addressed the need for comprehensive immigration reform, stating that “every person, regardless of immigration status, has certain fundamental rights which can never be infringed.” Furthermore, they explained that when “the Church supports immigrants, she is not doing so to impede the lawful enforcement of immigration laws, nor to encourage illegal entry. Rather, without contradiction, the Church instructs everyone to follow the law and to uphold fundamental human rights.”
Also in February 2025, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the bishops of the United States to address immigration and the threat of mass deportation. In his letter, the Pope opposed “any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality. At the same time, one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival.” Furthermore, he exhorted all people to uphold an individual’s dignity, fundamental rights, and due process by considering the “legitimacy of norms and public policies in light of the dignity of the person and his or her fundamental rights, not vice versa.” |
USCCB Action Alert: Tell Congress to Prioritize Lifesaving Humanitarian Aid
Millions of vulnerable people worldwide, including women and children, have been impacted by the disruption of international humanitarian and development assistance. In the next phase of codifying spending cuts, the Trump Administration has requested that Congress cancel previously appropriated funds for humanitarian and development assistance. These funds were intended to support vulnerable families and communities by ensuring access to emergency food aid, helping smallholder farmers improve their crops, and strengthening community capacity to meet their own needs. Please lift your voice on behalf of our most vulnerable sisters and brothers and contact your Members of Congress. |
Updates from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
To take action on more of the USCCB’s current federal action alerts, click here. |
Legislative Resources
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