It may be the dog days of summer but the Missouri Catholic Conference is busily preparing for an action packed fall. There are two major up-coming events.

 

First, the bishops of Missouri are asking all parishes to pick a weekend between September 3 and October 3 to conduct an in-pew registration drive to add members to the MCC Citizens' Network. Second, the MCC's 2010 Annual Assembly will be held on Saturday, October 2 at the State Capitol.

 

The theme for both events is "Your Light Must Shine Before Others", a verse taken from Mathew's Gospel (5:16). The hope is that through these events the MCC can gain many new network members as well as re-energize current members.

 

As a Good News reader, you know how much of a difference Catholic citizens can make when they act together for the common good. With your help, the MCC this year passed a major pro-life bill and a measure to stop the spread of triple X pornography stores. Both are now state law. 

Earlier this year the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) found itself in a struggle to pass legislation that would stop the spread of adult sex shops that mar so many of Missouri's highways. The porn industry worked behind the scenes, in the darkness, as it were, to kill the measure. The MCC appealed to legislators to bring into the light what was hidden, citing Matthew 5:16: "Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." In the end, the Missouri General Assembly passed the bill.

 

Democracy is a very fragile thing. Without the active involvement of citizens of virtue and faith, the darkness of selfish special interests can blot out all efforts to advance the common good. This year the MCC is making a special appeal to Missouri Catholics to join the MCC Citizens' Network. We need your help in the halls of State Capitol and in Washington D.C.

By neither signing nor vetoing SB 793, Governor Nixon took advantage of a provision in the Missouri Constitution - Article III, Section 31 - which gives the governor the option of taking no action on legislation. The bill then becomes law as if the governor had signed it.

 

By enacting the SB 793 law, Missouri becomes one of the first states in the nation to prohibit insurers from offering coverage for elective abortions in the new federal healthcare reform law. The new law, which was sponsored by State Senator Robert Mayer (R-Dexter), also ensures women an opportunity to view an ultrasound and hear the heartbeat of their unborn child before deciding whether to go through with an abortion.

 

The SB 586 law, which was sponsored by Senator Matt Bartle (R- Lee's Summit), bans nude dancing and drinking in sexually oriented businesses. Customers may not touch dancers and those under 18 are barred from entering these businesses. The shops may not locate near churches, schools, day cares or libraries.

The Missouri Catholic Conference has prepared a 2010 election guide for Catholics which can be found on the MCC's website. The guide includes information on how parishes can sponsor forums or interviews with candidates. There is also an "Ask the Candidate" section which offers statements to pose to candidates on a variety of issues, including abortion, the death penalty, health care, education and payday loans.

 

Every election cycle the MCC gets questions about whether churches can be involved in political campaigns. The short answer is that churches may not endorse or oppose candidates but may support or oppose ballot issues. The MCC election guide offers more details about "What Churches Can and Can Not Do During Elections."