ST. PAUL, Minn. (OSV News) -- Jason Adkins, executive director and general counsel of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, has been elected president of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors and will serve in that role until August 2028.
NASCCD is an association of the executive directors of 40 state Catholic conferences -- the public policy arm of those states' Catholic bishops -- and nine affiliated diocesan public policy offices.
The association is important, Adkins told "Practicing Catholic" co-hosts Leah Heselton and Father Tom Margevicius. "Practicing Catholic" is produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The episode with Adkins debuted July 31 on Relevant Radio.
"We only have limited knowledge, limited resources, (and) there's endless issues to cover," Adkins said. "We really lean on each other. We learn from each other about issues that are coming down the pike, how to frame up issues, what works, what doesn't. It's a really invaluable resource to have such talented, faithful colleagues with whom we can collaborate and coordinate."
NASCCD members meet twice a year to consider the public policy challenges and opportunities facing the Church and the nation, and to collaborate and strategize about how to make the Church's voice effective in the public arena. As the association's president, Adkins will be coordinating annual meetings.
"A lot of it's just logistics, making sure there's good content and programming for the members, that we're providing service for the members," Adkins said. "But also it's really important that the executive committee sit down and say, 'What are our members' needs, what challenges are they facing? … We always say advocacy is people, policy, process. Well, where in those three 'p's' do we really need a little bit of extra formation."
This year, the NASCCD met in Monterey, California. Next year will be in Lexington, Kentucky. In 2028, the NASCCD will come to Minnesota, meeting in Duluth.
Adkins has seen three kinds of fruit from the organization: friendship, fellowship and formation.
"This is a unique role to be a state Catholic conference director, and I think there's a lot of joy in it," said Adkins, who had served on the NASCCD's executive committee. "There's also a lot of challenges, a lot of struggles, and we need to encourage one another, pray for one another, hear what's working in some states, what's not working, learn from our experiences. We borrow heavily from one another."
He added, "I hope we create enough quality material and content, and good public policy strategy in Minnesota that our colleagues in other places can learn from us as well, so that there's a reciprocity there in terms of giving and receiving those gifts and strategies."
Adkins, who has been executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference since March 2011, is also the host of "Catholic in America" for OSV Podcasts.
In an Aug. 3 episode of "Catholic in America," recorded at St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Adkins discussed "Why the Public Square Needs Catholics," exploring why the Church teaches that political engagement is not optional, "but an essential expression of Christian charity."
He drew from Scripture, Catholic social teaching and the wisdom of Popes Leo XIII, Francis and Leo XIV. Adkins explained "how Catholics can faithfully engage today's most difficult public debates, including bioethics, religious liberty, education, healthcare, assisted suicide and the dignity of every human person."
