Catholics Share Thoughts With State Lawmakers Over Breakfast

By Ray Dyer
The Sooner Catholic

OKLAHOMA CITY — Organizers of the first “Legislative Breakfast” hosted by the Commission for Justice and Human Development were so excited following the event they were already making plans to do it again- and again.

“I think this was just wonderful,” said Sister Diane Koorie, RSM, chair of the 14-member Commission. “There was a great spirit in the room.” She said          Jim Fowler, a vocal opponent of the death penalty, makes a point during a conversation with several members of the                        Rep. Opio Toure, D-Oklahoma City. Toure has also called for an end to the death penalty in Commission met briefly                        Oklahoma.
following the gathering and from that “I think we can now call this our ‘annual legislative breakfast,”’ she said.

Ten of the 16 Oklahoma lawmakers who indicated they would attend the breakfast, held at the offices of Catholic Charities, were able to be there. Democrats were represented by eight members, while two Republican legislators participated.

Sister Diane said all seemed to show a “clear interest” in a presentation given by Shirley Cox that explained the principles of Catholic Social Justice Teaching. Cox, a member of the Commission, serves as director of Social Action for Catholic Charities. She is well acquainted with members of the Oklahoma Legislature, having lobbied them for a number of years on pro-life, pro-family and pro-people issues. Following her presentation, Rep. Opio Toure, D-Oklahoma City, invited her to deliver her presentation at an upcoming conference in Tulsa that he said would focus on eliminating the death penalty in Oklahoma.

Cox told the state Lawmakers Catholics have a moral duty to participate in society. She said Catholic tradition supports the “sacred quality” of each person, “but also asserts that our faith is social” and it is the duty of Catholics to participate in society and together seek the well-being of all “especially the poor and vulnerable.”

The Catholic Church teaches that the role of government and other institutions is to protect life and human dignity and promote the common good. Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be achieved only if human rights are protected and a healthy community can only be achieved if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. That’s why, Cox said, “We’re interested in how institutions affect people meaning what an institution does for them and what an institution does to them.”

A number of Catholic parishes in Oklahoma have already or are in the process of developing legislative advocacy groups. Saint Charles, for example, has some 60 members in its group. Cox said she tracks legislation and keeps these groups informed. She told the lawmakers don’t be surprised if more and more they hear from the Catholic voice in Oklahoma.

Each Legislator was given a few minutes to discuss issues important to them. The topics varied and included proposed legislation designed to: end predatory lending, create a livable wage for workers, protect women and children from domestic abuse, especially during a divorce; create more student accountability in regards to discipline and create more emphasis on reading in the younger grades.

Legislators attending the event were: Rep. Richard Morrissett(D); Sen. Susan Paddack(D); Rep. Opio Toure (D); Rep. Al Lindley (D); Rep. Mike Thompson (R); Rep. R.C. Pruett (D); Rep. Rebecca Hamilton (D); Rep. John Carey (D); Rep. Sally Kern (R); and Rep. Joe Dorman (D).