By Laura Marreel

Pacelli principal

On March 9, Catholics from across Minnesota gathered in St. Paul in the spirit of faithful citizenship to learn more about key issues facing our state and to advocate for life and human dignity.

Organized by the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, Catholics at the Capitol provides Minnesota Catholics with the opportunity to learn about the key challenges facing our state, gain insights into effective advocacy, and have conversations with elected officials about the issues that matter to us.

Over 1,000 Minnesota Catholics participated in Catholics at the Capitol, including four passionate Pacelli High School students, a Pacelli parent, and me. Encouraged by Bishop Quinn of the Diocese of Winona, we could not pass up the opportunity to expose our students to the impactful and intentional experience of voicing our concerns to legislators as citizens of Minnesota.

Our day began at the RiverCentre in St. Paul. The state’s bishops celebrated Mass with participants. Many Catholic vendors, universities, organizations, etc. lined the halls of the RiverCentre with information for participants. Speakers included Bishop James Conley from the Diocese of Lincoln Nebraska, and Gloria Purvis Scott, who has a weekly show on EWTN and is an activist for Black Catholics United for Life.

Armed with the inspiration of the day’s speakers, we were ready for advocacy training. Whether we were seasoned political veterans or newcomers to advocacy, leaders of the Minnesota Catholic Conference informed, inspired, and equipped us to make an impact with lawmakers to:

•Stop Assisted Suicide

•Address Persistent Family Poverty

•Expand Educational Choice

And then it was time for actionß as we were bussed to the Minnesota State Capitol. Representing Minnesota District 27. We had meetings scheduled in the Senate and House buildings with Sen. Dan Sparks, Rep. Peggy Bennett, and Rep. Jeanne Poppe to ask for their support or opposition on the bills concerning Assisted Suicide, Persistent Family Poverty, and Educational Choice.

To say this learning experience was inspiring and powerful for all that attended would be an understatement! Students and adults learned how to be active voices in our state. We also learned a lot about the lawmakers that represent us. We learned that they will excuse themselves from sessions to listen to the concerns of the citizens they represent. We learned that they genuinely care about the issues that are important to us, even if they may not agree. We learned that advocacy is most powerful when it is peaceful, positive, and cooperative. But, the most impactful lesson we learned is that Catholic voices matter!

If you are interested in learning more about Pacelli Catholic Schools visit our website at www.pacellischools.org, email admin@pacellischools.org or call 507-437-3278.