Statement on Parents Matter Coalition
The Bishops of Illinois share the following statement on the Parents Matter Coalition. A PDF copy of the statement can also be found here.
The family is the central, basic cell of society and our government should be supporting families and assisting parents in the care of their children, not undermining them. “Following the principle of subsidiarity, larger communities should take care not to usurp the family’s prerogatives or interfere in its life.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 2209
Around Illinois, a growing number of parents are increasingly concerned about their parental rights being stripped away by governmental overreach. In an effort to raise awareness, the Parents Matter Coalition was recently formed and is currently collecting signatures on petitions for an advisory question to affirm parental rights, particularly with regards to the medical care of their children. If the required number of signatures are collected, the non-binding advisory question has an opportunity to be placed on the November 2024 election ballot.
The Bishops of Illinois support the goals of this initiative, but we ask our parishes to respect the Church as the center of worship and not become a means of petition-gathering. The Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) is the public policy voice of the Illinois bishops and lay Catholics. It interacts with the state legislature, the governor’s office and all elements of state government to promote and defend the interests of the Church. Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for our Illinois Catholic Advocacy Network (I-CAN) to stay informed on issues affecting the Church and make their views known to government officials. More information on this initiative can be found at parentsmattercoalition.org.
