Popular Voter Guide Reportedly Rejcted by Lawyers for US Bishops

Culture of Life Foundation ^ | Tue, 24 Aug 2004

[cpforlife.org]

Dear Colleague,

Today we report on a popular voter guide published by the group Catholic Answers that focuses exclusively on the life issues, along with marriage. Catholic dioceses report that the guide has met resistance from the lawyers of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Do they fear that the IRS will come after dioceses for distributing it? Or is it that the anwers too clearly favor the Republican?

Spread the word.

Yours sincerely,

Austin Ruse
President

Action item: To view the voter guide and to order copies for your Church, go to http://www.catholic.com/library/voters_guide.asp

_________________________________________________________

CULTURE & COSMOS

August 24, 2004 Volume 2, Number 3

Lawyers for US Bishops Prefer Parishes Not Use Popular Voter Guide

In the wake of controversy surrounding a presidential candidate questionnaire produced by the lay staff of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, many Catholics have embraced an alternative voting guide issued by a Catholic apologetics organization. Though the USCCB has discouraged use of this new guide, it has been circulated by at least one major archdiocese and thousands of parishes, according to the publisher.

“Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics” is a 10-page booklet produced by Catholic Answers, a lay apostolate based in San Diego whose primary mission is defending Catholic teaching. Citing papal and Vatican documents, “Voter’s Guide” identifies five issues it calls “non-negotiable”: abortion, euthanasia, fetal stem cell research, human cloning and homosexual “marriage.” Supporting any of these issues, according to the guide, would disqualify a candidate as a viable option for a faithful Catholic.

Frank Norris, Catholic Answers Director of Development, told Culture & Cosmos that the guide has been very successful, citing more than a million in distribution. Norris estimates that by election day in November Catholic Answers will have distributed somewhere between 2 million to 5 million copies. Norris said the guide is being distributed by the St. Louis Archdiocese and that two more dioceses are considering distributing it. He went on to say that more than one thousand individuals have requested copies of the guide. Norris also said the booklet may soon receive an imprimatur from the bishop of San Diego [an imprimatur is official guidance from a bishop that the information is free from doctrinal error]. Even so, the booklet has faced resistance and even disapproval from the legal staff of the USCCB.

A parishioner in the Archdiocese of St. Paul Minneapolis asked Archdiocesan officials if he could distribute the “Voter’s Guide” on church property. The Archdiocese sought guidance from the USCCB, according to William Fallon, the Archdiocese’s chancellor, and was told they preferred that only the USCCB guide, “Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility,” be distributed. “Faithful Citizenship,” a document issued by the lay staff of the USCCB, has been criticized even within the Church for placing the paramount issue of abortion with other lesser issues like promoting “social justice” and “global solidarity.” Bob Laird, Director of the Family Life Office of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia said, “It equates abortion with debt relief. They are not equal.” Critics charge that the document has had the effect of minimizing the importance of abortion in Catholic social teaching. The USCCB is also set to release its staff-produced presidential questionnaire which has faced similar charges.

Interpreting IRS guidelines for non-profit organizations is at the heart of the voter guide question. IRS rules insist that non-profits may not engage in active campaigning for specific candidates or political parties. Though USCCB lawyers declined repeated requests for comment, an online memo makes it clear they believe in a very strict reading of the IRS code. “Political Activity Guidelines for Catholic Organizations,” a document of USCCB’s Office of the General Counsel, stresses that guides and questionnaires must cover a “wide variety of issues selected solely on the basis of their importance to the electorate as a whole.” It remains to be seen whether the IRS will go after the narrow voter guide of Catholic Answers though Catholic Answers believes it is well within the law.

Copyright, 2004 --- Culture of Life Foundation. Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.

Culture of Life Foundation 1413 K Street, NW, Suite 1000 Washington DC 20005 Phone: (202) 289-2500 Fax: (202) 289-2502 E-mail: clf@culture-of-life.org Website: http://www.culture-of-life.org

[cpforlife.org]

From A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters:
"A disqualifying issue is one which is of such gravity and importance that it allows for no political maneuvering. It is an issue that strikes at the heart of the human person and is non-negotiable. A disqualifying issue is one of such enormity that by itself renders a candidate for office unacceptable regardless of his position on other matters."

From Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics (An On-Line Guide):

The FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUES are:
1. Abortion
2. Euthanasia
3. Fetal Stem Cell Research
4. Human Cloning
5. Homosexual "Marriage"

the apostate john kerry disqualifies himself on each of the 5.

[cpforlife.org]

Pro-Life PING

Please let me know if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

"Lawyers for US Bishops Prefer Parishes Not Use Popular Voter Guide"

Then it must be good and I will continue promoting it.

Ignorance, sustained by denial is crippling this nations response to the holocaust of abortion and the growing CULTure of death.

[Prime Choice]

If the IRS goes after the diocese, then they should go after the First AME church of Los Angeles considering their effusive mix of politics in their church.l

[old and tired]

When oh when will people learn? It is so much easier to say, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea it would be a problem. I never imagined these little booklets would raise such a fuss" than it is to say, "would it be ok if I passed these out?"

Now it is ruined for the rest of us. Here in Philadelphia we're getting very bad signals from our new cardinal Rigali. One of the latest bishops to be named under him is a former vicar of a large section of the archdiocese who created nothing but problems for prolifers. He's either such a scared wimp that he's paralyzed to do anything, or (as I suspect) the pope's just added another socialist to the USCCB.

[cpforlife.org]

exactly!

The liberal commies can campaign all they want in "Churches" that will have them, but Pro-Life CHRISTIANS cannot teach the TRUTH in their own?

I AM SO SICK OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cpforlife.org]

A priest I know in New Orleans asked for permission to use this Guide and the answer he got was almost identical to this story.

I wonder if the lawyers actually fear the IRS on this. I suspect they are liberal traitors and are putting the "IRS" forward to stop a great thing from spreading.

The Pro-Life Movement will NEVER win until the clergy start acting like true shepherds and not like politicians

“The floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bad bishops.”
--St. John Chrysostom

[old and tired]

We NEVER ask our pastor for permission. Living in our parish are several very big shots in the Democratic party, including a national leader of the Teamsters. Our pastor is very supportive, but we just don't ask him. I know he prefers it that way. If any of these big shots raise a stink, he can truthfully plead ignorance.

But the truth is, I wish the church weren't so concerned about their tax status.

[old and tired]

A couple of quick, easy things that can be done: 1)Put in a bulletin insert asking folks to pray the election novena (or Ninevah Journey) for protestants. and 2) Add a pro-life petition every week to the prayer of the faithful. Check the priests for life website for samples.

Both of these things can be done in five minutes in the Church office. If the secretary is any good, it can be done with a phone call.

[Smartass]

The FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUES are:
1. Abortion
2. Euthanasia
3. Fetal Stem Cell Research
4. Human Cloning
5. Homosexual "Marriage"

I agree, none should be NEGOTIABLE...


God Bless all Born, and Unborn Children

[TOUGH STOUGH]

"When oh when will people learn? It is so much easier to say, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea it would be a problem. I never imagined these little booklets would raise such a fuss" than it is to say, "would it be ok if I passed these out?"

I know exactly what you mean.

[Coleus]

It gets worse, they don't want us in parking lots.

http://www.usccb.org/ogc/guidelines.htm

 

http://www.usccb.org/ogc/guidelines.htm#35

Parking Lots. The parking lots of most Catholic churches and other Catholic organizations are classified as private property. They do not qualify as public forums to which First Amendment free speech protections attach. Although there are court cases ruling that parking lots are public forums, these cases apply to the parking lots adjacent to commercial venues, such as shopping malls. Church parking lots are easily distinguished, in terms of purpose, use and access, from commercial parking lots, community shopping centers and malls. As such, Catholic organizations generally have the right to regulate access to their parking lots, including access for political leafleting. Catholic organizations should consult local legal counsel if questions arise about the proper classification of their parking lots. If a parking lot is classified as private property, a Catholic organization should not authorize the distribution of partisan campaign materials or biased voter education materials in the lot. Parking lots are distinguishable from public streets and sidewalks adjacent to Catholic organizations. These spaces generally are classified as public property over which the Catholic organization lacks control over access. [See, e.g., Robins v. Pruneyard Shopping Center, 23 Cal.3d 899, 592 P.2d 341 (1979), aff’d, 100 S.Ct. 2035 (1980); New Jersey Coalition Against War in Middle East v. J.M.B. Realty, 650 A.2d 757 (1994), cert. denied, Short Hills Associates v. New Jersey Coalition Against War in Middle East, 516 U.S. 812 (1995).]

 

Voter Guides – Incumbents Voting Records. Compilation of incumbents’ voting records is a common method of voter education. Voting records may also be compiled as part of an organization’s lobbying efforts. Whether the publication and distribution of incumbents' voting records violates the political campaign activity prohibition depends on an evaluation of all the relevant facts and circumstances, including: (a) whether incumbents are identified as candidates; (b) whether incumbents' positions are compared to the positions of other candidates; (c) whether incumbents' positions are compared to the sponsoring organization's positions; (d) the timing, extent, and manner of distribution; and (e) the breadth or narrowness of the issues presented in the voting record. IRS has concluded that a section 501(c)(3) organization that published and distributed, during an election campaign, the voting records of all members of Congress on a wide range of subjects, did not violate the political campaign activity prohibition. The organization conducted this activity annually, whether there was an election or not. The voting records contained no editorial opinions and did not indicate approval or disapproval of incumbents' votes. [See: Rev. Rul. 78-248, 1978-1 C.B. 154, Situation 1; Election Year Issues at 370-71.]

On the other hand, IRS has concluded that the distribution during an election campaign of a biased voting record, i.e. one that indicated the organization's position and whether the legislator voted in accordance with that position, could avoid violating the political campaign activity prohibition only in extremely limited circumstances. The criteria established by IRS are: (1) the voting record must not identify candidates for re-election; (2) its distribution must not be timed to coincide with any election, but rather must be one of a series of regularly distributed voting records; (3) distribution must not be targeted to areas where elections are occurring; and (4) the voting record must not be broadly disseminated to the electorate, but rather disseminated only to a limited group, e.g., members of the organization or subscribers to its publication. Organizations frequently rely upon this ruling to justify wide dissemination of biased voter guides among the electorate. Such reliance is misplaced. [See: Rev. Rul. 80-282, 1980-2 C.B. 178.]

In addition, IRS has taken the position that broad distribution of voting records or other voter education materials that do not cover a wide variety of issues violates the political campaign activity prohibition, even in the absence of overt bias. [See: Rev. Rul. 78-248, 1978-1 C.B. 154, Situation 4.]

[TOUGH STOUGH]

Me too. It's gotten soooooo olddddd.

[narses]

Are the "Katholics for Kerry" running the USCCB?

[cpforlife.org]

There is no doubt in my mind that some are.

[California Patriot]

Effective?

I'd say the voter guides are a lot more effective. That's why the liberals in the Catholic church are blocking them.

I'd say, go around this cowardly bureaucracy. Don't ask their permission. If you must, find a way of distributing them off church property.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

[ThomasMore]

My Parish is handing out 500 of them! It is my opinion that any bishop, priest or deacon who does not teach this info to the flock will be judged harshly on Judgment Day. A clergyman's primary concern should be the salvation of souls; tax exempt status be damned.

:^)

Deacon Francis

[ThomasMore]

PING!

[ninenot]

WHAT!!!!

This Voters' Guide forgot TABLE MANNERS, a major component of the Bernardin Voting and Dancing Guide for the Genteel and Acceptable Catholics!

Weg, weg. Kreuzige ihn!

[old and tired]

I'd say the voter guides are a lot more effective.

I agree with you. But for folks in a parish with a baby killing Dem for a pastor, they could still request prayers for an election outcome which is pleasing to Almighty God. Only the most evil pastor would reject those.

[mickie]

This is the first time that I have heard of the Voter's Guide.

How can I get a copy?