Greetings! 

I would like to bring to your attention an important and urgent matter of concern to anyone interested in Catholic education in the State of Ohio. I am referring to H.B. 136 which is under consideration by the Ohio General Assembly.

The Bishops of the Catholic Conference of Ohio are in support of this bill. If it is to succeed it is important that the Catholic people make their voices heard. As I said on my weekly radio program, "If this bill fails because it does not have the support of the Catholic people, so be it. But if it fails because the Catholic people and other potential supporters were ignorant of it, or failed to raise their voices, that would be sad indeed." It is urgent that we act now.

Why support this bill?

• It creates ways for parents' tax dollars to follow the education of their children, regardless as to whether they have attended public or chartered nonpublic schools;
• It reaches out to working poor and lower-middle income families;
• It provides for Catholic school families to be phased into the program if their families meet the bill's household income levels;
• It complements Ohio's other school-choice programs.

So I am asking you to do all you can to make the bill known, and to encourage our people to contact their legislators. To find information on how to do this, simply go to the Catholic Conference of Ohio at http://www.ohiocathconf.org/action_alerts/action_body.htm. There you will find an analysis of the bill, legislator contact information and a bulletin insert. Your cooperation and support in this urgent matter will be greatly appreciated.

You are all in my prayers for a holy Advent and blessed Christmas.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, STD

Bishop of Toledo