Among the 700 people from California's 12 dioceses attending Catholic Lobby Day 2008 in Sacramento April 22 was a group of students and faculty from Loyola High School. It was the first group participation for the venerable Los Angeles school --- but not the last, vowed its participants.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to participate and plan to be back next year," said Tom Zeko, Loyola community service director. "What a great opportunity for our students to engage in the advocacy aspect of social justice. Here is a real chance for them and for me to put into practice the Catholic social teaching Loyola presents in a variety of classes and service projects. I know my students will be watching the voting records of the legislators we visited that day."

One of the Loyola group's encounters --- after the long bus ride from L.A. to Sacramento --- was with Assemblyman Ted Liu from West L.A., who offered the group a civics lesson on effective lobbying. "He told us he and his staff meet with eight to 10 groups or individuals in a given day, indicating most of the time he hears little to nothing from constituents on most bills," said Zeko, "so our group meeting with him was important to him."

The Loyola group discovered that Liu graduated from a Jesuit high school in Cleveland, St. Ignatius, "so there was some common culture and language to draw upon from the Ignatian educational tradition."

Christopher Mora, Loyola junior, called his experience of Catholic Lobby Day "educational and intriguing," adding that he is now more aware of government policies and practices in California as well as of those in New Orleans through a service immersion he did last June. "There are real parallels between the problems in both areas, and I am confident in time we can address both successfully."

The Los Angeles contingent was spearheaded by the archdiocesan Office of Justice and Peace: Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Solis, director; Joan Harper, program coordinator; and Social Service Sister Gail Young, consultant. Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference and lead organizer of the event, said the results of the sustained presence of Catholic lobbyists at the state house are profound.

"Certainly the impact on the lives of those who come is awesome," Dolejsi told Catholic San Francisco. "The impact on the capital is palpable with so many people lobbying. I've received a number of calls from [State Assembly and Senate] members today."

The day included a Mass at which San Bernardino Bishop Gerald Barnes invited participants to share their reasons for attending.

Many of the responses, said Sister Young, expressed a desire to be "a voice for those who couldn't speak," namely the children and the poor destined to be adversely and severely impacted by proposed budget cuts in social programs.

Issues raised during the meetings with state lawmakers included continued funding for naturalization services and for education, and care for elderly prisoners. Dolejsi said the lobbying efforts always focus on measures currently before the legislature.

"The easiest out for a legislator is to say, 'This isn't currently under consideration,'" Dolejsi said.

Among the bills addressed by the Catholic Lobby Day group were AB 2262 (increasing from 72 hours to one week the time a mother could voluntarily surrender a newborn child); AB 2844 (simplifying reporting for food stamps; 55 percent of eligible California families, many of them with children, do not participate); and SB 1555 (enabling state prisoners 55 and older to receive humane treatment by minimizing physical challenges).

The group also called upon legislators to reject AB 2747, the latest effort by Assemblywoman Patty Berg to provide what opponents call a platform for assisted suicide. Californians last June rejected the "Compassionate Choices Act."

Catholic San Francisco contributed to this article.