EDUCATION DEPARTMENT - September 2008 Newsletter

Please click here to read the September 2008 Newsletter for the Education Department.

 BISHOP'S RELEASE ELECTION STATEMENT

Illinois' Catholic Bishops have released a statement seeking to encourage Catholics to participate in the political process and to help them prepare for November's elections.  We urge all Catholics to read the statement and weigh the issues and all the candidates for elected office carefully before voting.

For press release click here.

For statement click here.

For a Spanish version, click here.

 CCI STAFF TO GIVE FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP PRESENTATIONS

CCI staff have scheduled the following presentations to various groups around the state:

• September 17, 2008 - St. George, Tinley Park - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• September 30, 2008 - St. Clements, Chicago - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• October 10, 2008 - St. Mary of the Angels - 7:00 p.m.
• October 11, 2008 - Peoria Council of Catholic Women - 10:00 a.m.
• October 14, 2008 - Office of Peace & Justice - Archdiocese of Chicago & DePaul Catholic Studies Program - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• October 19, 2008 - St. Michael's, Chicago - 5:00 p.m.
• October 20, 2008 - Corpus Christi Church, McAteer Center, Galesburg - 7:00 p.m.
• October 20, 2008 - St. Matthew, Champaign - 7:00 p.m.
• October 21, 2008 - Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chicago - 7:00 p.m.
• October 25, 2008 - Notre Dame, Peoria - 10:00 a.m.
• October 27, 2008 - Archdiocese of Chicago, Pastoral Center - 12:00 p.m.

Press Release from USCCB:  BISHOPS' PRO-LIFE OFFICE DEBUTS STEM CELL RESEARCH, ABORTION ADS

Click the following link to read the full press release:  http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-127.shtml

 FORMING OUR CONSCIENCE - THE CATHOLIC VOTE:  An article written by guest columnist Bob Gilligan for the Catholic New World newspaper

With the presidential election right around the corner, Catholics are called to evaulate candidates and policies through the lens of the Gospel. 

Mr. Bob Gilligan, Executive Director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, wrote the following article which appeared in the August 31, 2008 edition of the Catholic New World newspaper.  Please click the link below to read Mr. Gilligan's article.

http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2008/0831/1.aspx

 Cardinal George Clarifies Church Teaching on the Immorality of Abortion

Click here to read Cardinal George's letter dated September 2, 2008.

 SCHOOL SAFETY BLOCK GRANT SYSTEM OPEN:  DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 15
State recognized schools can now access the Illinois State Board of Education's Web Application Security System (IWAS) for transmitting last year's attendance data for the reimbursements from the School Safety Block Grant.  Please do so as soon as possible!  The system opened this week and the deadline for submitting data is September 15!  Please meet this deadline as extensions will not be granted.

Once the data is properly submitted you will receive your allotment in two payments:  the first on October 30, 2008, and the second on April 30, 2009.

Please use the Nonpublic Attendance User Guide to help you navigate the system and enter your data correctly.  You can find this guide by logging in to the system and clicking on the "User Guide" tab.  Remember, your average daily attendance in any given month cannot be higher than your enrollment -- the numbers should be relatively close!

If you have any attendance questions as you enter the data into the new system, please contact Jim Mathes jmathes@isbe.net or Marj Beck mbeck@isbe.net, Division of Funding and Disbursement Services at 217-782-5256.

 Information on How Illinois Legislators Voted - August 4, 2008

Click here for information on how Illinois legislators voted on a small selection of issues CCI has been involved with the during the 95th General Assembly (2007-2008).

 CCI Releases "Guidelines on Political Activities for Parishes and Catholic Church Organizations." 
As tax-exempt organizations, parishes and Catholic Church organizations are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities.  However, there are some activities in which you can participate.  The Catholic Conference of Illinois has published a brochure, "Guidelines on Political Activities for Parishes and Catholic Church Organizations," which sets out some general guidelines to follow if you wish to participate in these activities.

For a PDF version of the brochure, please click here.

For further information on Political Activity Guidelines, please visit the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at:  http//www.usccb.org/ogc/guidelines.shtml

If you would like a hard copy of this publication, you may call either of our offices at 312-368-1066 or 217-528-9200.     

In addition to these documents, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a new statement called Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship:  A Call to Political Responsibility.
 
Click here to read the statement in Word format.
Click here to read the statement in PDF format.
Click here to read CCI's letter to pastors.
Click here for Tips for Talking to Your Legislator.

 CATHOLICS AT THE CAPITOL event - March 4, 2009 - Please join us!!

CCI will be hosting a Catholics at the Capitol day in Springfield on March 4, 2009.  This event will be a day for all in the Catholic community - bishops, clergy, and the laity - to meet with their elected officials in order to enhance the inclusion of our gospel values in the public square.

Click here to read a letter sent to Pastors which provides further information about the event.


2008 Legislative Report - Social Justice & Social Services
Click here to review the report for information on funding issues and legislation relating to social justice and social services issues.

 2008 CCI Legislative Report - Education

Please review the attached report for information on legislation effecting Catholic schools, including the school safety block grant, education expense tax credit, textbook loan and the requirements for 6th grade physicals and vision examinations.

Click here for the 2008 CCI Legislative Report - Education.


2007-08 CCI Legislative Report - Catholics for Life

Please review the linked report for information on legislation involving human life issues, including stem cell research, parental notification and death penalty abolition.

Click here for the 2008 CCI Legislative Report - Catholics for Life.


Activities for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Now in its second century, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a worldwide observance planned by the World Council of Churches and the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.  The customary dates are January 18-25 of each year, but the planners stress that the week of prayer may be observed at any time of year.  Go to http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/weeks-prayer-doc/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20080630_week-prayer-2009_en.html for planning materials from the Vatican website.  Go to http://www.geii.org/wpcu_index.htm for information on worship resources prepared by the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute in New York.

Catholic parishes in Illinois participating in Christian Unity prayer events are encouraged to report on activities held; send your reports to Father Kevin Laughery (exsult1@aol.com ) of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Department of CCI.

 HB 2747 - Access to Religious Ministry Act
HB 2747, the Access to Religious Ministry Act, will help ensure that clergy and religious workers can provide religious ministry to immigrants being detained in certain Illinois county jails.  CCI is supportive of this legislation. 

For a fact sheet on HB 2747, click here.
  
 School Safety Block Grant Application and User's Guide
The Nonpublic School Attendance System (for applying for the School Safety Block Grant) is now up and running on the IWAS system for state recognized nonpublic schools.  On IWAS, the attendance system will include a User's Guide (with Frequently Asked Questions section) that should be very helpful to you.  The User's Guide is also linked to below.  You will have until March 17, 2008 to submit your attendance data through this system.

A couple of points to make this easier:

-- Remember for the March 17, 2008 deadline you are submitting attendance data for the 2006-07 school year (last year)!

-- The system allows for someone other than the school administrator to input the data, but the school administrator must approve the document before it is submitted to ISBE.

-- The bulk of the system does not ask you to input enrollment data -- instead, it asks you for attendance data by month!

-- There are specific rules for calculating attendance; please closely review the Users Guide to learn how.  By the way, we have talked with ISBE about how since nonpublic schools have never been asked to do this before, some of our attendance data for last year may not be exact.  ISBE understands, do your best now and in future years make sure you keep appropriate attendance records.

-- The information you enter into the system will be auditable.  ISBE will compare your figures with the enrollment and other data you submit in the annual Nonpublic School Registration Form, as well as perhaps state recognition visits, so please make sure you are accurate.

In the Attendance System and Users Guide there is contact information for ISBE staff if you need help.  Also feel free to call me.

Click here for link to User's Guide.

Click here for possible expenditures of the grant money.