Posted on 01/12/2005 2:17:13 PM PST by Rakkasan1
Citing concerns about the poor and vulnerable in Minnesota in light of a state budget deficit, Minnesota’s Catholic Bishops are calling for an increase in state income taxes.
In their recently released Pastoral Statement, Sharing Our Blessings and Our Burdens, Minnesota’s Catholic Bishops urge lawmakers to resist further funding cuts to human service programs to balance the state budget. In the statement, the
Bishops note, “Because human needs require it and other resources are not available to meet these needs, we believe that it is right and proper to raise income taxes justly and equitably.”
According to the statement, cuts to state funded services and programs in Minnesota have hurt the poor, elderly and sick. The Bishops cite a moral responsibility toward our fellow citizens as well as a tradition of compassion in the state in their call for a revenue increase.
(Excerpt) Read more at mncc.org ...
Much as I hate to say it, these could be famous last words. In Tennessee, where I live, the most dangerous push for a state income tax was made by our unlamented, departed, RINO governor, Don Sundquist. You must watch your governor like a hawk, lest he decide to "grow" the way the vile Sundquist did.
I have a radical idea: Why don't they police their screwed-up mess of an AmChurch, call for a return to Catholic faith, purge the Church of sodomite predators and mind their proper business instead of acting like neo-commies?
actually if you visit a Catholic church built these days, the interior is far from opulent - the look is typically more barn/auditorium in nature. Sadly most of the money in the basket is going to pay lawsuits now. Which might be another reason the MN bishops want the govt to relieve them of their alms duties :(
No need for Catholic bashing on this thread. These bishops are not really speaking for the Church, but only for their mixed-up selves.
There was a late nineteenth century American novelist named Winston Churchill (yes, a different one) who wrote a wonderful series of historical novels from colonial times on down. They are well worth reading. One of these novels, I disremember the particular title at the moment, tells the story of a crucial historical event that took place in the late nineteenth century. A dedicated young Protestant clergyman tries to help the poor of his parish, but finds it to be a losing job and demeaning to the recipients. Suddenly he has a bright idea! Let the government do it!
It was about that time that Americans decided that government could do a better job with the poor than the churches could, and they have seldom looked back since. It's not just a Catholic problem. In fact, the worst people in this regard have been the mainline Protestants. Catholics and Evangelicals still do some genuine missionary and charitable activities, but the liberals prefer to soak the taxpayers. Regretably many Catholic bishops have joined the throng.
The Bishops should identify a goal (help the poor) not how to achieve the goal (taxes). Some staff product of St. John's, St. Thomas, St. Bennedict's, or St. Catherine's (I suspect the latter) got hold of the Bishop's signature machine.
"Easy for bishops to say, as they don't pay taxes."
Yeah, I think it takes a lot of balls for them to try and influence the government on taxes as well. Then again, it is no secret what is happening to our churches these days, particuarly in the hierarchies.
Isn't that Marian Wright Edelman's "non-profit", where her most significant action was to place her idiot son in the #2 slot, to suck off of the government teat?
My view?
In the inimitable words of Teeeereza Heinz Kerry - Shove It!
They're free to give up their tax-exempt status at any time, and start sending checks to the state dept. of revenue. If you talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk.
Although they're not in my diocese, I think I'm going to send them a letter letting them know exactly how much I have already paid in taxes and how much I give in charitable contributions. Then I'll tell them how happy I am to find out that "giving to Caesar" can now be considered a form of charitable giving thereby relieving me of my obligation to commit corporal works of mercy through monetary donations to any charity, including the Church. Afterall, the bible calls for tithing at 10 percent, and my taxes are WELL over that amount.
In case you're not outraged enough, in this statement, these guys have taken a page right out of the communist manifesto:
"In Catholic teaching, paying taxes flows from the virtues of justice and love because taxes are one of the means by which we share our blessings with the poor and vulnerable and build up the common good. The just collection and distribution of tax revenues are important functions of government, for government is a means to do together what we cannot accomplish on our own...
Government requires the payment of taxes from its citizens because it has the responsibility to serve the common good, provide a safety net for the vulnerable, defend human life, rights and dignity, overcome discrimination and ensure equal opportunity for all. Among other things, taxes allow us to build roads, and develop public transit systems, educate our children, protect our families and homes, invest in economic and agricultural development, safeguard our environment, and, most importantly, care for our brothers and sisters in need."
I think I'm going to go throw up now...
The Balke guy was an old appointment from the Jadot/Baggio days,with a few notable exceptions they were all impostors.
Flynn was ordained a bishop by none other than that singing,dancing,marxist hypocrite from Albany,Hubbard. Flynn must have been under some cover for a few years because he seemed to be a good choice for Minneapolis/St.Paul. Didn't last long.Lots of problems that can be viewed on some of these threads.
They included betraying the folks at Human Life International and calling Father Paul Marx an anti-semite. It was a classic attack the liberals use to discredit persons who threaten liberals games,plans and agendas. He has also been the Chairman of the Bishops committee on sexual abuse and has managed to avoid and/or deny the homosexual priest problem. I saw him on TV talking about it when the whole scandal was breaking an he was so transparent. It was clear the bishops were intending to continue covering up.
Most recently Flynn had chastised some parishioners with a legitimate complaint using another tactic the liberals rely on,turning the truth upside down. He accused the complainants of causing scandal,detraction and gossip as well as being judgmental and unforgiving. Of course,the priest he was defending was found to be guilty.
Kinney,another one of the fine bunch of importers placed by Jadot/Baggio in the mid-seventies. He was installed by that cockRoach from Minneapolis/St.Paul. His most recent offense was nominating that piece of dirt Trautman to head up ICEL from the floor. A loathsome act.
Again except for Neinstadt and Pates the rest are a bunch of impostors.
BTW when I say liberal I mean modernist/progressive/marxist/bolshevic/communsist or whatever. Not surprising that they support more and more confiscation of personal property and limiting individual freedoms. For some reason most also seem to have a predilection for homosexuals and their behaviors.
Shut UP. Sheesh.
between such organizations as Catholic Charities and Lutheran social services and the like, millions and millions of dollars are from the govt....
when there is a "need" or a "crisis" the non-profits love it....they can establish programs that they run and then have the govt. provide most of the capital......
as for these increased taxes, again, its always the wage earner who gets it in the rear....its not the rich, its not the poor, its not the elderly, its not the many, many who are on disability,and all the others that avoid state income taxes.....
its always the same WORKING group....none other.....
This act has really hurt them in my estimation - it's secular humanism at its worst.
The nasty letters Flynn wrote,that I have documentation for,at least,were sent to women who were questioning him about actions he had or hadn't taken. One was addressing his easy attitude and acceptance of homosexual groups.
Absolutely no change in the assessment but the details on the offending actions against women who dared to involve themselves with his activities may have been misleading. It could be that further digging would find that Flynn did the same thing to people from some parish,currently,I am unable to link it. But you can rest assured that it can be documented that Flynn brooks no probing questions about his decisions,no matter how far they are from truth.
could be wrong about that....
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