Greg Schleppenbach 11/07/05.

Loving life will have the pleasure to interview Greg Schleppenbach of the Nebraska Catholic Conference.

Loving Life and Greg Schleppenbach will discuss their upcoming event: "Rebuilding the Culture of Life 2005," which will take place on November 11th and 12th in Lincoln. For more information visit our Events Calendar HERE or visit the Nebraska Catholic Conference site here.

The Nebraska Catholic Conference is an activity carried on jointly and cooperatively by the three dioceses of the Catholic Church located in Nebraska. Its primary focus is on public policy. Through the Conference, the Church, on a statewide basis, officially interacts and communicates with government agencies and officials, and with other organizations and groups, both religious and secular.

The Nebraska Catholic Conference is operated pursuant to the authority and direction of three Diocesan Bishops. The Bishops are the principal administrators and leaders of the Church in Nebraska, but first and foremost they are teachers. They exercise their teaching role by defining moral principles and applying them within specific contexts, one of which is public policy. The Conference is the mechanism by which the Bishops speak with one voice relative to public policy.

The Nebraska Catholic Conference is a federation. A written constitution is its organizational document. The members of the federation are the Archdiocese of Omaha, the Diocese of Lincoln, and the Diocese of Grand Island. Each diocese is under the authority of a Diocesan Bishop. The Bishops serve as the officers of the Conference.

In addition to its officers, the Conference is composed of one representative from each of the three dioceses in each of the following categories: Education, Social Services, Health, Public Affairs and Pastoral Ministry. Also, each diocese may have two representatives of the laity. All positions are appointed by the respective Diocesan Bishop. The appointees include priests, women religious and laity.

Policies and positions of the Nebraska Catholic Conference are determined, after study and discussion, by a majority vote of the members. However, no policy or position is adopted unless it has an affirmative vote from each Diocesan Bishop. Thus, the Conference, as a state-level agency, acts form a position of unity and coordination. When the Nebraska Catholic Conference does not hold or act upon a position on a certain issue, each Diocesan Bishop is free to speak out publicly or act upon that issue as he sees fit, either on his own behalf or on behalf of his diocese.

The day-to-day operation of the Conference is the responsibility of an executive director and assisting staff employed by the Conference. To facilitate its interaction with state government, the Nebraska Catholic Conference maintains its office in the capital city, Lincoln.

The Conference also operates the Bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities and the Nebraska Federation of Catholic School Parents

You may contact the Nebraska Catholic Conference via mail at 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 410, Lincoln, NE 68508-1813. Or (402) 477-7517; FAX: (402) 477-1503. Cick HERE to go to their site.

nebrcc@alltel.net

http://www.nebcathcon.org/