OJP : P.L.A.N.

Parish
Legislative
Advocacy
Network

What is legislative advocacy?

Legislative advocacy is a nonpartisan, issue-oriented effort to promote human life and dignity and to protect creation by shaping public policy. Church sponsored legislative advocacy is based on a consistent ethic of life; it avoids partisan politics. The diocesan Office of Justice and Peace provides staff support for PLAN.

How can I get involved?

PLAN members contact public officials at critical times in the legislative process. These contacts can be made by telephone, letter or personal visit. PLAN sends action alerts as issues reach critical junctures.

Each January the Diocese organizes a Catholic Advocacy Day at the Virginia General Assembly. It is a wonderful opportunity for PLAN members to learn about key issues and to meet with their elected representatives at the State Capitol in Richmond.

Since 1998 several Dioceses in the mid-Atlantic region have sponsored a National Catholic Advocacy Day in Washington, DC. PLAN members attend issue briefings by staff of the U.S. Catholic Conference and meet with their Congressional representatives.

What issues does PLAN address?

The Parish Legislative Advocacy Network (PLAN) enables people of faith in the Catholic community to make a difference on a wide range of state and federal issues:

Protecting human life
© Abortion © Capital punishment © Assisted suicide © Embryo experimentation & cloning

	Defending basic human needs
	© Affordable housing © Universal health care © Domestic violence prevention © Faith immigration policies © Criminal justice reform © Legal rights of migrant workers

Reducing poverty
© Homelessness prevention © Minimum wage © Living wage ordinances © Fair welfare policies © Reforming child support

	Protecting Creation
	© Responsible forestry & mining © Sustainable development © Air & water quality

International justice & peace
© Third World debt © World hunger © Ban on anti-personnel landmines © Nuclear test ban © Economic sanctions on Cuba & Iraq

PLAN and Sowers of Justice

Sowers of Justice is a network of Catholic people and groups that works with the Office of Justice and Peace and others committed to social justice. Sowers enrich their parish and local community by sowing seeds of justice and peace. Many Sowers are active in PLAN and legislative advocacy as a way of living out their response to the Gospel message.

Membership in PLAN gives you the tools you need to be an active legislative advocate.

With whom does PLAN work?

PLAN gets information on federal issues from the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops and other national legislative networks.

PLAN collaborates with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) on most state issues. PLAN urges you to become a VICPP member. PLAN does not duplicate information provided by VICPP.

PLAN Registration

Yes, I want to work to promote human life and to protect all creation.

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If you do not know your state Delegate or Senator, click on this link and find out!

Who Is My Legislator - Virginia General Assembly

   Send me information about Sowers of Justice.
   I would like to work with others on the following issues:

If you do not have a forms-compatible browser, print and mail or fax this form to:

Office of Justice and Peace
811 Cathedral Place
Richmond, VA 23220-4801
Fax: (804) 358-9159

For more information, call (804) 359-5661 or send us an E-mail message.