With a new team in charge in Washington, winds of change will inevitably be blowing — and the National Catholic Register looks at where those breezes may take us:

The 111th Congress convened on Jan. 6 with strengthened Democratic majorities and increased political clout once Barack Obama becomes president.

The new Congress also has a significant number of Catholics, but whether that will make a difference in favor of the Church’s teaching on hot-button issues remains to be seen. Catholic pro-lifers familiar with congressional politics are not optimistic.

A recent Pew Forum study showed that 30% of members in the new Congress identify themselves as Catholics. Two years ago, when the 110th Congress was seated, there were 155 Catholics in the Senate and House of Representatives. This year, there are 162.

Two Catholic members of Congress speaking to the Register noted that the most important issue now is the ongoing economic crisis. Congressional leaders are preparing a government-spending bill to stimulate the economy.

“As a Catholic, I look at this issue like everybody else, that this is a huge problem, and we need to do everything we can do to solve it without creating more problems or long-term problems,” said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. “We need to do things that are stimulative in the short run but that don’t create further problems in the long run.”

U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich., agreed, “As a Catholic, clearly I think it will be an uphill battle, and I think that’s stating the obvious,” he said.

Nevertheless, both Brownback and McCotter admitted concern for the unborn, as hard-fought abortion restrictions are now threatened by new leadership.

“I am very concerned with Obama’s stated support for the Freedom of Choice Act, very concerned about what he’s going to do on the Mexico City Policy, and it’s almost a foregone conclusion that he will support using taxpayer dollars to implement these policies,” Brownback warned.

The increase in Catholic membership does not necessarily mean much for issues of concern to Catholics, particularly on pro-life issues, says Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League.

“We could have 90% of Catholics in the Congress and it really wouldn’t mean anything if they disagree with the official teachings of the Catholic Church on public policy matters,” he said.

Nonetheless, one new U.S. representative says he is on board with the teachings of the Church: Ahn “Joseph” Cao, a former Jesuit seminarian and refugee from Vietnam. “My faith has been the center of my life all these years,” Cao told the Knights of Columbus website FathersForGood.org. “I go to church almost every day to discern what God is calling me to do with my life.”

You can read the rest at the Register’s link.