CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT IMPERILED; EXPULSION OF LAWMAKERS SOUGHT

Catholic League ^ | March 9, 2009 | Bill Donohue

[NYer]

Bill #1098 has been introduced in the Connecticut legislature by Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald that orders the Catholic Church to reorganize. Its express purpose is “To revise the corporate governance provisions applicable to the Roman Catholic Church and provide for the investigation of the misappropriation of funds by religious corporations.” It specifies that each parish is to elect a board of directors to run all parish functions, thus stripping the Pastor of his authority.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded as follows:

“The Catholic League has been deluged with phone calls, e-mails and faxes from Catholics, as well as non-Catholics, from all over Connecticut. On March 11, there will be a public hearing on this bill. Bridgeport Bishop William Lori and Hartford Bishop Henry Mansell are imploring Catholics to attend. More than that needs to be done.

“Bishop Lori is correct to say that the bill ‘is a thinly-veiled attempt to silence the Catholic Church on the important issues of the day, such as same-sex marriage.’ Indeed, it is payback: this brutal act of revenge by Lawlor and McDonald, two champions of gay marriage, is designed to muzzle the voice of the Catholic Church.

“By singling out the Catholic Church—no other religion has been targeted—Lawlor and McDonald have demonstrated that they are ethically unfit to continue as lawmakers. They have evinced a bias so strong, and so malicious, that it compromises their ability to serve the public good. They should therefore be expelled by their colleagues. Reprimand and censure suggest that the offender can be rehabilitated. It is painfully obvious in this instance that neither lawmaker is prepared to accept such a sanction. Expulsion is the only rational response. We are contacting House leader Christopher Donovan and Senate leader Martin Looney to explore this action.”

Contact: christopher.donovan@cga.ct.gov

              looney@senatedems.ct.gov 

[NYer]

"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Martin Niemoller - German pastor and theologian

As goes CT, other states will follow.

Catholic Ping
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[kellynla]

CATHOLIC BUMP!

[Hoosier-Daddy]

So many things are happening so quickly, something is going to happen as a backlash. People are getting fed up with govt meddling in their lives.

[Ciexyz]

How can they get away with introducing a bill like this? This bill doesn't seem constitutional. It's not the business of government to interfere in the internal structure of any religious organization.

[ex91B10]

the govt threatens them if they promote political candidates and then they are threatened by the people they could not help defeat.

Separation of church and state only works one way I guess.

[GoCards]

I pray your right.

[lafroste]

That was my first thought. The government is not permitted to dictate the internal organization of a church, nor investigate said structure nor modify said structure. These jack booted thugs that are proposing this need to get their butts kicked. This so illegal it screams.

[xtinct]

In America they came for the babies

and I didn't speak up

....Then they came for the smokers...

And I didn't speak up

....Then they came for my wealthy sibblings and friends

...and I didn't speak up

...Now they're coming for y.o.u.

...suggest you speak up.... lock and load

[IrishCatholic]

What's the problem? It works in China. Connecticut also begins with a “C”.

The rabid hatred of the Church continues. Connecticut is a reliably blue state. I wonder if this will wake up the “Catholics for Obama and Dodd” crowd.

Besides, why isn't this a good idea? The board of directors can then mandate women priests and gay marriage. Seems like the thing to do when you have a state run church.

[massgopguy]

The Knights of Columbus headquarters is in New Haven. This is what I expecting as a result of our support for Prop 8 in CA. Watch for the words “Hate Group” to be brought up when these two try to push this bill through.

[deannadurbin]

I’m not Catholic but this still isn’t right. Do they think this kind of government meddling will stop with the Catholic church? Nope.

[Kansas58]

Good post, but you left out an important part:

The Brownshirts, who were the first to go after several other groups, WERE GAY!

http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/fischer/080515

Hitler did not go after Gays, until Hitler himself felt that the Brownshirts were getting too powerful.

[ZULU]

Looks like some idiots in COnnecticut never bothered to read the Bill of Rights.

Probably all liberal Democrats.

[TalonDJ]

In America they came for the babies

and I didn't speak up

....Then they came for the smokers...

And I didn't speak up

....Then they came for my wealthy sibblings and friends

...and I didn't speak up

last they came for the guns and ammo. The guns spoke up and they got all the ammo they could stand.

[denydenydeny]

Apparently they haven't read the first ten words in the Bill of Rights.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Whatever happened to the “separation of church and state” and “Congress shall make no law” and the 14th Amendment?

[stockpirate]

I for one will not lift a finger to help them in CT concerning this issue.

They vote over and over again to vote in fascists and now they deserve what is coming to them.

Welcome to the new world order people in CT, and thanks for helping elect the head fascist, Obama.

Now tough luck.

[wastedyears]

Orders the church to reorganize? Who the hell do these people think they are?

[darkangel82]

They ought to be jailed for such unconstitutional stupidity.