Catch the bus to Catholics in Annapolis
Need a ride to Catholics in Annapolis on February 21? Take the bus!
The Maryland Catholic Conference will be chartering buses from regions across the state to make it easier for everyone to come and join us for Catholics in Annapolis.
Buses will be available from the following regions:
- Hagerstown (with stops in Middletown and Frederick)
- Waldorf
- Westminster
- Rockville
- Abingdon
- Clarksville
- College Park (with a stop in Bowie)
- Salisbury
- Baltimore City
"We want to make it as easy as possible to join us in Annapolis on February 21 to advocate for life, justice and human rights," said Jennifer Briemann, executive director of the Conference. "We know that driving to and from Annapolis in February can be a challenge and that parking here can be difficult. We encourage anyone who wants a ride to sign up ASAP!"
To reserve your seat on the bus nearest you, visit: www.catholicsinannapolis.org/buses
EITC Awareness Day Highlights Important Anti-Poverty Program
The Maryland Catholic Conference joined with advocates across the state on Jan. 25, 2019 to spread awareness of the state's recently-expanded Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
The EITC is a federal and state program that provides qualifying working individuals and families with a credit on their federal and state taxes. In Maryland, it provides qualifying individuals with a credit on their state taxes of up to 50 percent of their federal tax credit.
"EITC is one of the anti-poverty programs that we know works," said Anne Zmuda Wallerstedt, associate director of Social and Economic Justice for the Conference. "The program puts money — and for some, a significant amount — directly back into the pockets of hard-working Marylanders."
The Conference has been a long-time supporter of efforts to expand the EITC to enable more Marylanders to qualify. In the 2018 legislative session, Maryland's General Assembly voted to expand the credit to an estimated additional 40,000 individuals by lowering the age to qualify from 21 to 18. The change took effect on July 1, 2018.
As a founding member of the Maryland Alliance for the Poor, the Conference continues to support in the current legislative session efforts to further expand the EITC. Limitations that remain in the current state program prevent many single adults from qualifying for the credit. Advocates have been working on legislation to expand the state EITC to match 100 percent of the federal credit and increase the maximum income allowed for single individuals to qualify.
To learn more about the EITC and if you might qualify CLICK HERE.
Gregory Snyder joins MCC Team
Gregory Snyder II, a former legislative staffer to two Maryland State Senators has joined the Maryland Catholic Conference as Associate Director of Communications and Engagement.
"We are so excited and blessed to have Greg on board," said Jennifer Briemann, executive director of the Conference. "Greg is not just a talented and motivated member of our team, but he brings to our work his incredible network of contacts in Maryland Government."
Prior to joining the Conference, Greg worked as a Legislative Aide for Senator Justin Ready (R-5), followed by serving as Chief of Staff for Senator Johnny Ray Salling (R-6). Most recently, he served in the Hogan Administration at the Office of Governmental Affairs at the Maryland Transit Administration.
Greg is a life-long Catholic who grew up in Reisterstown, MD, attending Sacred Heart School of Glyndon and Calvert Hall. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Roanoke College in Salem, VA.
While Greg only began his work with the Conference in January, he has been involved in Catholic Advocacy for years, getting his start by attending Nonpublic Schools Advocacy Day as a student at Sacred Heart.
Greg will take over much of the Conference's engagement work, including growing the network of Parish Legislative Ambassadors.
Read Greg's full bio HERE.
MCC Marches for Life
Maryland Catholic Conference staff joined with thousands of pro-life advocates from across the United States in Washington D.C. today for the March for Life.
“Life is at the heart of every issue we address as the Conference, so it’s only fitting that we be here today, in our nation’s capital, marching for life,” said Jennifer Briemann, executive director of the Conference.
The first March for Life was held in 1974 and drew an estimated 20,000 supporters. The March today is the world’s largest pro-life event and draws hundreds of thousands of people.
“There is an energy, an electricity on these streets,” said Therese M. Hessler, associate director of Respect for Life. “It is powerful to be here surrounded by thousands of others standing up for life and marching to the doors of our Supreme Court. We stand up for life every day in the work we do in Maryland. This is just a wonderful chance for us to stand with others.”
Maryland will hold its March for Life on March 4 in Annapolis. To learn more about the march CLICK HERE.
Are you registered for Catholics in Annapolis?
Catholics in Annapolis is just 33 days away. Are you registered?
This year’s event will include praying the Rosary for our public officials, meeting with elected representatives and will focus on many important issues of life, justice and human rights.
We need your voice in Annapolis!
Catholics in Annapolis event is filling up quickly. Register now to reserve your spot.
Visit www.catholicsinannapolis.orgto register today!
2019 testimony available online
During the upcoming legislative session, the Maryland Catholic Conference will weigh in on dozens of issues and take positions on issues of importance to Maryland Catholics.
All Conference testimony submitted in the 2019 session in support or opposition of a bill, as well as testimony offered in neutrality, will be available on the Conference’s website.
To access the latest testimony, visit www.mdcatholic.org/2019testimony
The page is updated on an ongoing basis as testimony is submitted. Be sure to check the 2019 Testimony page often throughout the session for the latest updates.
To stay up-to-date and get engaged on key issues, be sure to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. Click HERE to join.
Hogan inaugurated to second term, proposes budget that increases BOOST funding
Governor Hogan (center) poses with students at the 2017 Nonpublic Schools Advocacy Day
Governor Larry J. Hogan (R) officially took office for a second term this week, kicking off four more years at the helm in Annapolis and a busy 2019 legislative session.
Hogan introduced his official Fiscal Year 2020 budget today, and with it, a proposed increase of $3 million in funding for the BOOST Scholarship program to $10 million, fulfilling the governor’s commitment to double funding for the program over three years. His budget also includes an additional $3.5 million for school safety improvements at nonpublic schools.
“Governor Hogan has proved to be very responsive to the needs and concerns of the Catholic community as well as other faith communities that we often work with on issues of mutual interest,” said Jennifer Briemann, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference. “Governor Hogan has also been a strong supporter of Catholic schools, and has been instrumental in the growth of the BOOST scholarship program, which has changed the lives of countless families by providing students the financial opportunity to attend a non-public school.”
Since passing the BOOST scholarship program in 2016, Maryland has gradually increased the allocation for scholarships. This past year, a total of $7.6 million was available for scholarships, with a portion specifically for scholarship for students with disabilities. Since it’s passage in 2016, the Maryland Catholic Conference has been working closely with the Governor’s office to ensure more families are able to participate in BOOST.
“The funding put in the state budget each year for BOOST has enabled thousands of Maryland families who would not otherwise be able to afford it, to choose the educational option best suited for their children,” said Garrett J. O’Day, deputy director of the Conference. “We are grateful for Governor Hogan’s continued support of this program, look forward to his budget and working with our state lawmakers to continue this important program.”
Also expected in the coming days is final data on the BOOST Scholarship awards for the current fiscal 2018-2019 school year.
As the state gathers the final numbers on BOOST, a recent poll shows that, nationally, support for school choice is on the rise. BOOST enables low-income families to choose educational options that they otherwise might not be able to afford. Read more about the poll HERE.
The Pro-Life Generation: How one Montgomery County teacher is showing teens that Life is more complex than left or right
Tom Kolar, Religious Studies teacher at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Olney, Md.
If Tom Kolar was not teaching religious studies and coordinating the Students for Life group at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md., the passionate pro-life advocate would be working somewhere in the movement.
“What keeps me going, what I think keeps any pro-life advocate going, is thinking about the actual children who are in the world now because of the work you do,” he said.
Kolar’s own religious studies as a teen played an important role in his faith formation and pro-life values, sparking in him a desire to pass both onto others.
“This is a cause I feel passionately about,” he said. “Being involved in the student club gives me the opportunity to do advocacy work and be part of the pro-life cause. This is the best way I can be involved in the overall movement.”
Kolar said he constantly meets young pro-life students who are committed to ending abortion and fighting for life. Their teenage passion and enthusiasm, he said, is generally unencumbered by the “stuff” adults allow to limit their time and energy to engage.
But what stops the teens from getting involved is a lack of knowledge of how to engage as well as underestimating the power they have to bring about change. While recent political movements led by teens from across the country have shown America’s youth that they too can make a difference, Kolar said he finds many still feel that until they are able to vote, there is little if anything they can do but rail against the injustices they encounter.
“I tell them, ‘You may be 14 years-old but you can be doing things,’” he said.
To provide students with opportunities to get active, Kolar regularly schedules speakers to talk to the club, often offering students service hours for attending.
“This [role] puts me in a position where I can share the wisdom I have with them and can hopefully help to solidify that belief into action,” he said. “Teens, in my experience, when they are passionate about something, are passionate about it in such a serious way that they can find that energy and find that time much more easily. As long as they get advice on how to channel that passion, they can be extraordinarily effective in political advocacy.”
He also organizes a Youth Life Conference — a one-day event for students that features workshops on life issues, an exhibitor hall and mass — and coordinates an annual drive to collect supplies for area pregnancy centers – an event he said is aimed at being a living witness that pro-life advocacy doesn’t end at birth, but also includes helping women facing crisis pregnancies.
Maryland General Assembly Session Begins
The 439th session of the Maryland General Assembly got underway on Wednesday, January 9. The session will last for 90 days, concluding on April 8.
The Maryland Catholic Conference staff will pursue numerous issues during the next 90 days, including issues of life, education, justice, and human rights.
Nearly 1/3 of the legislators who took the oath of office on Wednesday are new and the Conference has been working diligently to meet with and get to know the new members and leadership.
"We expect this to be an extremely busy legislative session for Maryland," said Jennifer Briemann, executive director for the Conference. "We welcome each legislator to Annapolis and look forward to a productive 90 days as we work to protect the vulnerable in our state: the poor, the unborn, immigrant communities, the elderly, persons with disability, the incarcerated, the sick, and victims of violence and trafficking."
To read more about the Conference's top priorities heading into the session, visit the Catholic Review and the Catholic Standard.
To stay up-to-date on the Conference's work throughout the session, be sure to register for the Catholic Advocacy Network.
MCC Welcomes Session Interns
The Maryland Catholic Conference is pleased to welcome Patrick Hogan (left) and Cindy Tchuenkam (right) to our team as our 2019 session interns.
Both Cindy and Patrick are seniors at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD.
Patrick, a native of Pennsylvania, is majoring in Political Science. Cindy, who grew up in Cameroon, West Africa and moved to Maryland in 2008, is also a Political Science major.
"We are excited to have Cindy and Patrick joining us in Annapolis for the session," said Garrett J. O'Day, deputy director of the Conference. "Our interns are invaluable members of our team during these busy 90 days, and we are looking forward to working with both of them."
Each year the Conference offers internship opportunities for college students. To learn more about interning with the Conference, email Chris Santo at chris@mdcatholic.org.