Florida Catholic | Venice Group Traveling To Capitol for Catholic Days

Venice group traveling to Capitol for Catholic Days

More than 35 people from the Diocese of Venice will join others from around the state in Tallahassee on March 11–12 to promote Catholic values.

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 03.07.08

VENICE | When personal plans changed and Wendy and Bob Dawson realized that they would have an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee for a chance to meet their state legislators, they knew they had to go.

The Dawsons will be part of a contingent of more than 35 people from the Diocese of Venice who will actively participate in Catholic Days at the Capitol and have a chance to make a difference on a variety of important issues.

The group will take a bus to Tallahassee Tueday, March 11, where they will first learn about the legislative process before being assigned the task of explaining the Catholic sides of key legislation up for consideration.

“We will potentially have an impact on the laws that govern the state of Florida,” said Wendy Dawson, who is a member of the Council of Catholic Women. “What an incredible opportunity.”

And that is the point of the trip, said Jeanne Berdeaux, director of the diocesan Respect Life Office.

The basic premise is to ask the legislators to “do the right thing and to protect the vulnerable: the born, the unborn, Catholic students, the farmworkers and so many more,” Berdeaux said.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane will be in Tallahassee to participate Wednesday, March 12, in the annual Red Mass, a Mass for legislators and key government officials that aims to give them guidance in their work.

Bishop Dewane will also be present for a special luncheon where Rep. Bill Galvano of Bradenton will receive a prestigious award from the Florida Catholic Conference. Galvano’s mother and sister are also part of the group.

Catholics in Venice will join hundreds of others from across the state and meet the main lobbyists for the Florida Catholic Conference to learn the details about key bills before the Legislature, which cover four basic categories: respect life, education, health and social concerns.

Catholics will split off into small groups to meet with all 15 representatives and senators who represent the parishioners in the diocese of Venice.

This year’s group is the largest contingent the diocese has sent to Catholic Days, thanks to increased proactive work of the Council for Catholic Women and the Knights of Columbus, Berdeaux said.

As an icebreaker, Berdeaux shows the representative her prayer calendar, which has a day each month that each representative and senator is prayed for within the diocese. The calendar includes the president, vice president, governor, lieutenant governor, each U.S. and state senator and representative, and all of the government officials and lawmakers in general.

While the group heading to Tallahassee will only be there for little more than 48 hours, they pray that the work they do will make a difference — if not in this legislative session, then in the future, the advocates believe.

“We have to keep pressing them on the issues and explain where we are coming from and why we stand for or against certain bills, because they do come back year after year in different forms. That is why we have to remain vigilant,” Berdeaux said.

When the group from the diocese returns, its members will receive e-mailed action alerts to tell them to take steps to have their voices heard when important legislation comes up for a vote.

Wendy Dawson said she is committed to this effort and excited to finally have a chance to make a real difference.

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Venice group traveling to Capitol for Catholic Days

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