As emerging legislative issues grow increasingly thorny and seem at times to purposefully undermine the morality and human dignity called for in Church teaching, Catholics are often inspired to live out the call to faithful citizenship by contacting their legislators. 

But somewhere between the point of inspiration, and the actual point of contact, something goes awry.  It could be distraction with the many things that consume daily life, or a lack of awareness as to how contact is made. Sometimes, Catholic constituents do not know who their elected representatives are. 

Thanks to an action and advocacy tool made available by the New Jersey Catholic Conference on its website (www.njcathconf.com) it takes less than five minutes for Catholics to sign up on a system that will not only keep them informed of important pending legislation but make it easy to tell legislators where they stand on key issues.

 The tool is known as Capwiz, and is found by clicking on the Faith and Action button on the home page.  There, visitors will find themselves immediately welcomed to the Legislative Action Center, where they can easily join the “Action Network”.  The network sends out important updates on issues critical to the Catholic community ranging from poverty, changes to the healthcare system that have an impact on Catholic teaching and, currently, the move to fast track a bill that would alter the definition of marriage in New Jersey by establishing same-sex “marriage.”

 The Faith and Action page not only provides the means to easily e-mail legislators on key issues, it also provides a state legislative directory – so important this year when some state legislative districts have been reshaped. There’s information about official agencies and easy access to local government information as well as on congressional delegations, issues and legislation, a media guide, election guide and state legislature basics.

Launched in 2009, the Capwiz tool has drawn a growing number of subscribers, resulting in thousands of messages sent to state legislators in 2011. Just since Jan. 1, the Action Network alerted nearly 1,300 Capwiz signees that the state Senate was moving very quickly on A1 and S1 (also known as the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act) and called attention to the January Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill, said Anne Conte, NJCC secretary.

Those on the action list were able to e-mail legislators quickly and nearly 300 printed out additional letters that were available which arrived at legislative offices as tangible proof that there is opposition out there.

Conte said interest in the bills led to a bump in the number of subscribers to the service, which is free thanks to a grant from the state Knights of Columbus. The subscribers will receive action alerts on key issues as they come up, said Conte.

The action alerts are pre-written but can be personalized said Patrick Brannigan, NJCC executive director. “All that people have to do is sign up. It’s very easy,” said Brannigan who is hoping that thousands of people around the state will get the message to sign up this year.

“What we are looking for are people who will realize that this is a very good way to make your voice heard,” he said.