Some Parishioners to Catholic Bishops: Stay In Your Lane and Out of Politics Yall-itics: April 30, 2023

Catholic bishops in Texas upset some parishioners after recently asking the flock to take a political stand and support Education Savings Accounts, one of the most controversial bills this legislative session. Parishioners have now gone public with their outrage, contacting us, and even writing letters to the editor – telling the church to stay in its lane and out of politics. Catholic schools in Texas do stand to benefit financially if Texas lawmakers approve ESAs and give tax dollars to families to send their children to private schools, including parochial ones. Parishioners ask why Catholic bishops have not invested the same political energy into school violence, homelessness or healthcare. But Dr. Veronica Alonzo, associate superintendent of Catholic schools at the Diocese of Dallas, says this issue is about more than money. For 25-years, as an educator, she has advocated for school choice and spent part of this spring in Austin meeting face-to-face with state lawmakers about the topic. In this episode, she joins the Jasons to make the case for school choice and defend the church’s position to parishioners.

GUEST:

Dr. Veronica Alonzo, associate superintendent of Catholic schools, Diocese of Dallas