Iowa Catholic Conference hosts annual day of prayer

By Lisa Bourne
February 9, 2006

DES MOINES - The Iowa Catholic Conference held its Annual Day of Prayer in Des Moines on Thursday, Feb 2. The Iowa Catholic Conference (ICC) is the lobbying arm of the Catholic Church in Iowa.

The 27th Annual Day of Prayer brought Iowa's bishops together for Mass and for discourse with lawmakers on issues important to the Church.

Legislators were invited to a breakfast at the state capitol building in the morning on Feb. 2, which allowed the lawmakers to meet with the bishops and representatives of the church, fostering the lines of communication.

Dubuque Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB, Des Moines Bishop Joseph L. Charron, C.PP.S. and Davenport Bishop William Franklin all attended the ICC event. Sioux City Bishop R. Walker Nickless had intended to be present. However Bishop Nickless was in Denver, Colo. for his mother's funeral. Msgr. Roger Augustine, Vicar General of the Diocese of Sioux City, attended the day of prayer on behalf of Bishop Nickless. Msgr. Augustine served as administrator for the Diocese of Sioux City for the last two years.

"I think the legislative breakfast is a good opportunity for legislators to meet the religious leaders of the dioceses," said Msgr. Augustine.

After the legislative breakfast, the four church leaders concelebrated noon Mass at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines.

In his homily, Archbishop Hanus spoke of Pope Benedict's new encyclical - God is Love - in which the pope affirmed that if the church did not work for a more just society, she would not be completely church.

He stressed that by this, the pope does not mean that the church is a political party. The archbishop said the pursuit of social justice is the responsibility primarily of the state.

"Politicians, legislators and government officials, Pope Benedict affirmed, are to be guided by natural reason. But often natural reason can be

clouded; it doesn't see clearly. It is too much influenced by special

interests or by the attraction of political power or some natural

ideology. If natural reason is to be exercised properly, it must undergo

constant purification," said Archbishop Hanus. "That is a special contribution that Christians and other religious people can bring to politics and public life. We can try to show how natural reason can be illuminated and corrected by religious faith."

He said the church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice.

In the past, the ICC day of prayer had concentrated on mobilization and training of grassroots supporters of church issues. Its current focus is more toward prayer and open communication with those who affect change in the secular realm. With the ICC's legislative priorities generally among the more controversial, it is especially important for the church to have a presence in the legislative arena and a voice on the issues.

Iowa's ban on human cloning is currently of particular concern. The ban was previously shepherded to successful passage by the ICC, but has been bandied about as a hot-button issue in the upcoming gubernatorial campaign. Gov. Tom Vilsack has said he will work to overturn the ban before he leaves office this year.

The ICC legislative breakfast offered a venue for discussion of these and other matters.

"It was a great opportunity for our bishops and Catholic leaders to engage in dialogue with elected officials. They discussed issues relating to cloning, the death penalty, human trafficking, predatory lending, choice in education and other important issues currently being debated at the capitol," said Mike Heaton, assistant director of the ICC.

Heaton estimated that about half of the total legislators from both chambers came to the ICC breakfast.

State Senator Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) was among those who attended.

"I really enjoyed it," Zaun said. He was pleased to meet the bishops and talk with them about some of the issues faced by legislators, and he appreciated the Bishops' input. Zaun also participated in general discussion about touch-play machines. He recognized that a lot of Church concerns can illicit a passionate response.

Like all legislators, Zaun sees his share of lobbying efforts by any number of groups at the capitol building, and he said it was nice to have the ICC and the bishops there for discussion.

"We need groups like that down there more often," Zaun said.

Representative Dolores MErtz (D-Ottosen) also participated in the day.

"I thought the Catholic Conference legislative day at the capitol was great," she said. "It is always such a pleasure to meet with the Archbishop and the other bishops of the dioceses. It is a great communicative day!"