In a rare joint appearance on the steps of the General Assembly, North Carolina's two Roman Catholic bishops announced a new initiative to create a unified voice on public policy issues affecting the state.The move represents an effort to flex a political muscle that has strengthened in recent years.
For generations, Catholics represented less than 1 percent of the population and the state was considered by church leaders as "mission territory" ripe for evangelism.
But with an influx of newcomers from northern states as well as Mexico and Latin America, Catholics - numbering some 800,000 across the state - now want to be heard.
"We share the right to add our voice to the public discussion of issues," said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh, standing next to Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte.
The initiative involves an interactive Web site designed to send alerts to Catholics to legislation of concern to the church - including sanctity of life issues such as abortion and stem cell research, both of which the church opposes, and immigration, a topic on which bishops have taken a more liberal view.
The Web site, www.catholicvoicenc.org, is also able to send legislators instant e-mail from Catholic voters.
In addition, the bishops announced that Msgr. Michael Clay, pastor of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Clayton, will serve as the state's first permanent Catholic lobbyist at the General Assembly.
The move may represent a first step toward creating a Catholic conference, which many states with larger Catholic populations have formed to leverage their political clout.
As part of that initiative, Burbidge said the dioceses will send out a questionnaire to gubernatorial candidates as well as North Carolina's U.S. House and Senate delegation asking their views on a host of issues. The results of that questionnaire will be posted on the Web site in October.
Both bishops said they were feeling shortchanged by the current system.
"Sometimes issues come up before the North Carolina legislature rapidly," Jugis said. "Before we know it, it's voted on, moving through committee, moving to the floor of the body. It would be helpful to have some registered lobbyists to be available, to be a liaison, to inform Catholics of the state."
In particular, Jugis said last summer's debate on embryonic stem cell research, in which the state House passed a bill permitting stem cell research under limited circumstances, caught the bishop's unawares.
The new initiative will involve the services of a Web master to monitor the Web site daily and update information. Overall, Jugis said the initiative will cost $45,000 a year, which the dioceses will split.
At Wednesday's joint appearance, both bishops spoke in support of a state bill that would amend the constitution to limit marriage to heterosexual unions. Among the 25 or so people in attendance, one woman urged the bishops to also consider backing a bill allowing residents to buy a "choose life," license plate. The bill is now stalled in the House finance committee. Burbidge was able to tell her that the bishop's endorsement of the bill was already on the Web site.
The two dioceses have traditionally been members of the N.C. Council of Churches - a relationship that will remain - though it's clear the two groups diverge on some issues. The council, which has its own lobbyist, is opposed the marriage amendment, and abstains on issues such as abortion where its members do not agree.
"I assume we'll continue to work together on matters of public interest," said George Reed, executive director of the N.C. Council of Churches. "There's plenty of work out there."
"Some claim bishops should not be involved in politics," Burbidge said. "As citizens who are Catholics we share our right to add our voice to the public discussion of issues."
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