Iowa Catholic Conference update, Jan. 5, 2024

Legislature convenes on Monday

The second session of the 90th Iowa General Assembly is scheduled to begin Monday Jan. 8. Leaders will address the chambers about their plans for the session. Tuesday night at 6 p.m., Gov. Kim Reynolds will present the “Condition of the State” message to the Legislature with live coverage from Iowa PBS. The Condition of the Judiciary and Condition of the National Guard speeches are also scheduled for the first week.

Stay informed about the 2024 legislative session

You are invited to participate in a live Zoom webinar featuring Iowa Catholic Conference Executive Director Tom Chapman. The webinar will be held on Thursday, Jan. 18th at 7 p.m. A report on the legislative session and the ICC’s advocacy efforts will be presented.

Sign up here. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and engage.

Caucus like a Catholic

On Monday, Jan. 15, Iowans gather by party preference at precinct sites to elect delegates to the 99 county conventions. Learn more about the process.

While the ICC doesn’t support or oppose candidates, we encourage your participation. The Iowa caucuses are designed as neighborhood meetings that welcome the participation of not only the most politically active, but everyday citizens. By your participation, you can support a vision for society that reflects the life and dignity of the human person.

Prayers and policy

We appreciated the message from the Diocese of Des Moines in response to the school shooting in Perry, Iowa: “We call on all people of good will to pause and pray for the children, the parents, the educators, the first responders, the medical staff and the entire community of Perry. May God’s Spirit be with those directly affected by today’s tragic event and with all of us on this day of deep anguish and grief.”

The bishops of Iowa released a letter on legislation related to guns in 2018.

Iowa coalition opposes assisted suicide

The Iowa Catholic Conference is a part of the Iowa Coalition for Ethical Care, which opposes the legalization of assisted suicide. The coalition sent a letter to legislators last month in opposition to House File 533.

In the letter, the coalition says, “In short, this attitudinal shift shows how the passage of a law in the name of increasing patient choice can actually have the harmful effect of decreasing healthcare professionals’ respect for the life of every patient.”