Missouri Catholics from around the state gathered at the State Capitol on September 30, 2006 to learn about important issues that affect their everyday lives.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Richard Chole, Lindburg Professor and Department Chairman of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. He is President of the American Otological Society and Director of the American Board of Otolaryngology. He is a member of the board of Directors of the Missourians Against Human Cloning, which is coordinating the secular political campaign against Amendment 2. Dr. Chole addressed Amdendment 2, which seeks to amend the Missouri constitution to allow human cloning and the destruction of human life for medical research.

Dr. Chole is an outspoken opponent of the initiative while his employer, Washington University in St. Louis, is a leading proponent of the initiative.

People were able to attend a wide variety of workshops which covered such issues as immigration, health care in Missouri, minimum wage, the death penalty, the status of senior citizens in Missouri, and maternity homes. Bishop John Leibrecht of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau presented a workshop on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Social Justice.

More than thirty young adults were able to participate in a mock legislature in the Senate Chamber. Mock legislators debated a number of issues including using the Bible in public school curriculum, jurisdiction of juvenile courts, and removing the gambling loss limit.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for next year’s Annual Assembly to be held on Saturday, September 29, 2007.