Ten Years In!

I recently celebrated my tenth anniversary at the Nebraska Catholic Conference. Such milestones are a good time to reflect on how God has blessed my work for Nebraska’s bishops as we bear the light of Christ in the public square. 

A Dream Job. If you’re like I once was, you have no clue the Nebraska Catholic Conference exists or know what it does. It wasn’t until my second year of law school that I found out about the NCC. But once I did, I immediately knew it’s where I wanted to work “when I grew up.” 

The Nebraska Catholic Conference represents the public policy interests of the Catholic Church. We work directly on behalf of the three Nebraska bishops. Most of our work is with the Nebraska Legislature. In short, we do government relations and lobbying — and have been doing so for nearly 60 years. 

But that’s not the whole story. The NCC bears the light of Christ in the public square. We proclaim and witness to the 2,000-year tradition of Church’s social teaching.  

The work of the NCC is an intersection of catechesis, evangelization, politics, policy, law, and religion. All the things you’re apparently not supposed to talk about at the dinner table but that I love to talk about. 

Tom Venzor holds his oldest daughter, Monica — born at 28 weeks — during the Heartbeat Bill press conference in May 2023 with Governor Jim Pillen, Sen. Carolyn Bosn, Sen. Joni Albrecht, and other elected officials.

I got a job at the NCC in 2015. I often tell people that I’ve never had a day where I didn’t want to go to work or a day where I anxiously wondered when it would be 5 p.m. Basically, I landed my dream job! 

Fulfilling Work. Working at the NCC is fulfilling, and I thank God for preparing me for it through my family formation, education, seminary formation, and professional experiences. There are three main reasons it's fulfilling. 

First, I’ve served four bishops in Nebraska. They are amazing shepherds who are united to the heart of Jesus and love the people of God they have been faithfully entrusted to. Unique in their personalities and insights, they are united in their commitment to Christ and the Church’s teachings, which provides a strong witness to the truth in the area of public policy. 

Second, the NCC has a rich tradition of public policy positions and so many amazing people who have worked at the NCC over the years. 

Third, at a time when politics and politicians can be viewed negatively and even disdain, I get to watch many elected officials grow deeper in their faith and courageously witness to the Gospel. They are the light in the darkness that Christ calls us to be. 

Amazing Wins. In these last ten years, we have achieved some incredible wins on the public policy front. Some of these victories will remain close to my heart for years to come. Here’s a smattering of those victories. 

On the pro-life front, we defeated the abortion industry in a knock-out, drag-out ballot fight to legalize abortion throughout pregnancy; protected taxpayer dollars from going to abortion and abortion-related entities; providing increased funding streams for pregnancy help organizations to assist mothers in need; bolstered informed consent laws to help protect babies with Down syndrome; helped mothers who have chosen chemical abortion know they can potentially reverse their decision. 

On the education front, we passed two major school choice laws that led to nearly $20 million in scholarships distributed to low-income families; revitalized and increased funding for Catholic school parents who use the textbook loan program; helped efficiently distribute millions of dollars in COVID assistance to Catholic schools; and expanded grant opportunities for school teachers. 

On the marriage, family, and human sexuality front, we have protected children from transgender ideology; exposed and defeated an immoral health standards proposal from the Department of Education; protected kids from predatory social media companies; defended marriage as an institution between one man and one woman. 

On the social and human development front, we have worked on several efforts to strengthen food assistance to low-income families; provided more funding and support for women fleeing domestic violence; expanded health care access for mothers; worked to combat the scourge of human trafficking; supported immigrants and refugees. 

And these are just the bills I can think of off the top of my head, and none of these efforts begins to articulate the numerous bills we’ve defeated. 

All in all, the Lord has been kind and merciful these last ten years by giving me a chance to serve Him and His Church. God willing, He’ll give me more years to serve our bishops and my hundreds of thousands Catholic friends across the state as we continue bearing the light of Christ in the public square! 

2024 Nebraska Pro-Life Banquet and ConferencePictured left to right: Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt, Diocese of Grand Island; Archbishop George J. Lucas, Archdiocese of Omaha; Paige Brown (Former Communications and Outreach Specialist at NCC); Angie Korus (NCC Office Assistant), Megan Fehr (NCC Communications and Outreach Specialist), Marion Miner (NCC Associate Director for Pro-Life and Family Policy), Tom Venzor (NCC Executive Director), and Bishop James D. Conley, Diocese of Lincoln.

Photos courtesy of Tom Venzor