July Newsletter 

We are excited to share the latest from CCO including action alerts, legislative news, updates, and more.

Learn more about CCO: View our brochure or visit our website.

FY25-25 Ohio Budget
Helping Ohio Families and Women

School Choice Expansion
Ohio's Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Program, advocated for by CCO, is now available to ALL Ohioans after Governor DeWine signed the State budget into law on July 3! Students can use an EdChoice Scholarship at one of Ohio's hundreds of Catholic or other eligible schools. 

Click here for the full chart of poverty guidelines.

Family income at 450% or below of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will receive the maximum scholarship allowed by law. Those at 451% or more will receive a portion of the full scholarship amount, dependent on their household income and family size.
 

Apply Today!

Full details on applying for the EdChoice Scholarship Program can be found on the Ohio Department of Education website.  

1. Complete a Scholarship Request Form for EACH eligible student in grades K-12 who is enrolled in Our Catholic Schools. Submit the request form, as well as a copy of the student's birth certificate and current proof of address (see acceptable documents here) to the appropriate school(s) for submission via the online application system. 
    
2. Complete the income verification process at https://safe.ode.state.oh.us/portal or by completing this Income Verification Form. An OH|ID is required for online submission.  Learn more about creating an OH|ID here.

Note: The deadline to request scholarships for this academic year and receive the entire amount for which you qualify is October 14, 2023. Any application received after this date will be awarded at a pro-rated amount by the Department of Education and Workforce.
 

Click to View

Supporting Women in Need
In addition to the EdChoice expansion, CCO was also grateful that the approved budget (HB 33) included a number of items which we advocated for to invest in pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable Ohioans.

See How the Catholic Church in Ohio Supports Women in Need to learn more about the Catholic ministries that help women, children, and families in Ohio and the CCO's advocacy for structural support for women in need. 

August Special Election

Issue 1 Ballot Language
Issue 1 will be voted on in a special election on August 8, 2023. It asks voters if Ohio should “Require that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment.” The amendment also increases signature requirements and removes the signature collection extension to propose a constitutional amendment.
Click to read the Issue 1 ballot language >
Click to read the Issue 1 explanation >
 

Important Dates

• Absentee and Early In-Person Voting is OPEN NOW
• Sunday, August 6 at 5:00 pm: Early In-Person Voting ends
• Monday, August 7: Last day to drop off or postmark your Absentee Ballot
• Tuesday August 8th: ELECTION DAY

Reminders...

Happening in Ohio

The FEST - August 6

A day of FAITH, FAMILY, and FUN for all ages... 
and it's FREE!

The FEST is a Catholic event with Adoration, the Sacrament of Confession, and concludes with an Outdoor Mass with Bishop Malesic. 

Sunday, August 6, 12 noon - 10pm
Center for Pastoral Leadership
Wickliffe, OH 
www.thefest.us

National Conference on Eucharistic Miracles - August 11-13

The conference offers an in depth opportunity to grow deeper in our faith in God through the Holy Eucharist. Register at www.hostofmiracles.org. 

August 11-13
Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center
Cincinnati, OH
www.hostofmiracles.org 

Special Feature

World Youth Day

World Youth Day takes place next week, August 1-6, in Lisbon, Portugal, with millions of people, including the Holy Father. The international festival of faith is a chance for pilgrims worldwide to come together with young people from every continent to pray, worship, and celebrate the Catholic faith.

"Mary arose and went with haste" (Luke 1:39) is the bible quote chosen by Pope Francis as the motto for this World Youth Day, which will open the account of the Visitation when Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth following the Annunciation. Mary of Nazareth is the great figure of the Christian journey. She teaches us to say yes to God. The message of Pope Francis for the XXXVII World Youth Day can be found here.

Please keep all World Youth Day participants in prayer, especially those from Ohio. May they receive the Word of God, Jesus Christ, into their hearts and go out to share Him with everyone they encounter. 

Let Us Pray

Official World Youth Day 2023 Prayer

Our Lady of the Visitation,
you who arose and went with haste into the hill country to meet Elizabeth,
lead us also to encounter all those who await us
to deliver them the living Gospel: Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord!

We, too, will go in haste, without distraction or delay,
but with readiness and joy.
We will go with peace because those who bring Christ bring peace, and well-being comes from being generous and loving in our deeds.

Our Lady of the Visitation,
through your inspiration, this World Youth Day
will be a shared celebration of Christ, whom we bring to others, just as you did.

Please make this a time of testimony and sharing, of fraternity and thanksgiving,
with each of us looking for opportunities to give to those who are waiting to receive.
With you, we will continue on this path of encounter so that our world will join us, too, in fraternity, justice, and peace.

Help us,
Our Lady of the Visitation,
to bring Christ to everyone, in obedience to the Father and in the love of the Holy Spirit!

Amen