D.C. Catholic Conference

The DCCC is the public policy arm of the Archdiocese of Washington and addresses issues affecting the people of the District of Columbia.

New! Archdiocese of Washington submits letter supporting marriage initiative

On September 1, 2009, the Archdiocese of Washington submitted a letter to the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics in support of the “Marriage Initiative of 2009.” The initiative, filed by the Stand4MarriageDC.com Coalition, would define marriage in the District of Columbia, for the purposes of civil law, as the union between one man and one woman.

From the DC Catholic Conference: “A ballot initiative will give voters in the District of Columbia a voice on this critical issue. Earlier this year, the City Council pushed through legal recognition of same-sex marriages from other states without even giving their constituents an opportunity to have input.

“It is ironic that at the same time the city is asking for voting representation in the U.S. Congress, its leaders are denying residents the opportunity to participate in the democratic process for an issue with widespread implications for children and families.”

Read our press release.

Interested in learning more about the Church's teachings on marriage? Visit MarriageMattersDC.org.

Learn more about the DC Catholic Conference

What are the goals of the DCCC?
To provide Catholic moral leadership and vision in the area of public policy in the District of Columbia.

To represent and speak for the Archdiocese of Washington before all branches of the D.C government and the federal government as required and other organizations on all matters pertinent to public policy in the District of Columbia; and

To enable effective participation and representation of Catholics from parishes, Archdiocesan agencies, and institutions in the shaping of public policy in the District of Columbia.

How are issues and priorities for advocacy determined?
The mission of the DCCC is to identify, analyze and review public policy issues for their social and moral dimensions, measuring the public policies against Gospel values that are the essence of our Catholic social teachings. Priorities for advocacy are then set based on these parameters.

The Church has a long history of advocating on behalf of the poor, the needy, and victims of injustice. As a faith community we support policies and legislative initiatives that promote the sanctity of human life and human dignity from conception to grave. Generally, the Conference will address matters regarding family life; social needs programs; health-care matters, pro-life and social justice issues. By joining in the public debate we attempt to provide greater opportunity for individuals to improve the quality of their lives.

There are many issues that clamor for our attention - the death penalty initiative, abortion, the destruction of the family and family values; treatment of men and women confined in our jails; welfare and health-care reform; homelessness, hunger, joblessness, the lack of affordable housing, chaos in many of our public school; crime and violence, the availability of resources and treatment for the care of the mentally ill, the mentally retarded and the developmentally disabled. We recognize that we cannot advocate on behalf of every issue at one time. Therefore, the Board's direction is critical to the success of the Conference.

Contact the DC Catholic Conference, 301-853-5342.