Posted on 03/08/2009 8:30:59 AM PDT by Oakleaf
Catholic Family News • March 7, 2009
Write to the Senator and Representative - Show Up for the Rally on March 11!
See below:
• Urgent letter from Brideport Diocese Webpage • Information on March 11 Rally • Contact information for CT Senator and Representative • Statement from Father Greg J. Markey
(More details also at http://wdtprs.com/blog/2009/03/connecticut-state-legislature-introduced-bill-10982009/)
(Text of bill at http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/TOB/S/2009SB-01098-R00-SB.htm)
This past Thursday, March 5, the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut State Legislature, which is chaired by Sen. Andrew McDonald of Stamford and Rep. Michael Lawlor of East Haven, introduced a bill that directly attacks the Roman Catholic Church and our Faith.
This bill violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. It forces a radical reorganization of the legal, financial, and administrative structure of our parishes. This is contrary to the Apostolic nature of the Catholic Church because it disconnects parishes from their Pastors and their Bishop. Parishes would be run by boards from which Pastors and the Bishop would be effectively excluded.
This bill, moreover, is a thinly-veiled attempt to silence the Catholic Church on the important issues of the day, such as same-sex marriage.
The State has no right to interfere in the internal affairs and structure of the Catholic Church. This bill is directed only at the Catholic Church but could someday be forced on other denominations. The State has no business controlling religion.
The Pastors of our Diocese are doing an exemplary job of sound stewardship and financial accountability, in full cooperation with their parishioners.
For the State Legislature — which has not reversed a $1 billion deficit in this fiscal year — to try to manage the Catholic Church makes no sense. The Catholic Church not only lives within her means but stretches her resources to provide more social, charitable, and educational services than any other private institution in the State. This bill threatens those services at a time when the State is cutting services. The Catholic Church is needed now more than ever.
We reject this irrational, unlawful, and bigoted bill that jeopardizes the religious liberty of our Church.
We urge you to call and e-mail Sen. McDonald and Rep. Lawlor:
Senator Andrew McDonald: Capitol phone: (800) 842-1420; Home phone: (203) 348-7439 E-mail: McDonald@senatedems.ct.gov
Representative Michael Lawlor: Capitol phone: (800) 842-8267; Home phone: (203) 469-9725 E-mail: MLawlor99@juno.com
We also ask you to come to Hartford this Wednesday, March 11, to be present at the public hearing. Details on bus transportation will be available on Monday. If you would like to attend, contact your Pastor.
It is up to us to stop this unbridled abuse of governmental power
It is time for us to defend our First Amendment rights.
It is time for us to defend our Church!
- From Bridgeport Diocese webpage ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH FROM Diocesean webpage
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Statement of Father Greg J. Markey
Dear Members of the Gospel of Life Society,
Just when you thought it could not get any worse up in Hartford, it has happened.
Yesterday, Connecticut Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut State Legislature introduced bill #1098/2009 that directly attacks the Roman Catholic Church .Should it pass, the bishop and pastors will be deprived of any administrative, financial and legal power over their parishes.
The Bishop is asking for statements to be read at all the Masses this weekend, and to organize a rally in Hartford on Wednesday. Each parish is to send 5 representatives. I will be leading a group from St. Mary Church in Norwalk. Most likely there will be diocesan buses.
We are asked to contact our legislators, and especially the Judiciary Committee list. Now is the time to act! Stay tuned.
In Christ,
Fr. Greg J. Markey St. Mary Church, • Norwalk, CT
http://kofc.org/un/eb/en/news/legislative/detail/548357.html
I think post #29 may answer the question.
Obviously what affects one church affects all of them to some extent, but looking at this from the perspective of the litigation that local Episcopal and Presbyterian parishes have had to endure when they severed themselves from the 'parent' church that has gone insane and demonic, this bill could be a good thing, in the event of a similar problem arising in the Catholic Church (not saying that it will happen).
Prima Facie, obvious fact, but the constitution is sinking in the sand these days.
Ping to post 15 to read the language of the legislation.
Neither is the eminent domain garbage, abortion, gun control, etc...
You have to be of the idea that the United States Constitution is the law of the land and not a living and breathing document that changes with whatever perversion or thought the thuggary engages in at the time.
Many Catholics in the Northeast tend to be CINOs - Catholics in Name Only. They’re cultural Catholics, and may attend Mass, but don’t necessarily support Church teachings. This seems especially so in teachings of Sexual Morality. They’re also ‘genetic’ Democrats, cause that what their Grandparents and Parents were, so that’s what they are. They’re still of the opinion that Democrats are for the ‘little guy’, especially the Unions, and the Republicans are just mean, nasty and spiteful, and they hate poor people.
Time for some sand-blasting then....
;-)
What warnings? Are you speaking specifically about this legislation in CT?
You make a good point. Every church is suffering from this problem to a degree.
Why is it they feel so comfortable identifying themselves as Roman Catholic? Your church does stress the need to not only profess faith, but to live it.
“My reading of this bill is that the Holy Father and the Bishop and the Pastor are no longer in charge, they are replaced by a group of parishoners who are totally in charge of the Parish. “
You have got to be kidding me!
Won’t they just wind up being excommunicated?
Talk about picking a fight with the Vatican!
The reason he gets re-elected is because this district was gerry-mandered safe Democrat; and (2) like most of the country, the GOP is statist/socialist, so there isn't any substantive choice. For instance, Weicker (R) was Governor in 1973, and he established the state income tax.
I can see him authoring this legislation. Statist control freak- wants to run everyone's life.
It has to do with people growing up and developing something akin to a "Catholic culture" that includes going to Mass with their parents and various Catholic practices. When they get older and stop going to church, they forget the meaning behind it all but retain fond memories. So they identify with Catholicism because it's a culture that they're familiar with.
When the Communists/Libtards/Obama came for Christians and Free Conservatives....
This is in fact designed to make it easier to take Church property. Think of the “lay boards” as the equivalent of ACORN staffed agencies and polling places, because it’s the Voice of the Faithful (radical leftist “Catholic” group) that would make up the membership of the majority of these boards. They hate Rome and have no loyalty either to the Pope or the Bishop (VOTF is in favor of women clergy, married clergy, gay marriage, and the whole liberal ball of wax.)
This bill is being supported by VOTF, although it was probably put forward by McDonald, who is gay and just “married” his boyfriend, as pay-back for the Church’s opposition to gay marriage. They’re looking forward to the day when some incident occurs that will enable the government to force the Church to choose between Rome and Washington, and they expect to be able to seize the property and set up their own “Patriotic Church” that is loyal to Washington and not to Rome.
After reading some of the other posts, I see that this looks like an attempt to allow non-believers to thwart the purpose of the church.
That said, my Diocese of Bridgeport, was one of the few in the Northeast that went for McCain. Our bishop, William Lori, made an impassioned plea of conscience during the last election.
I will be going to Hartford on Wednesday to the public hearing on this proposed usurpation of the sovereignty of the Church. Hopefully, we will have a great turnout and defeat this bill in Committee.
Pray for us.
You are so right on!
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
touche’!
I think we here in Connecticut need more than that to defeat these animals. They’ve been attacking religion in general here for a while. We’re not alone in resisting this - and going solo with all of these fringe parties and “unaffiliated” does not and will NOT WORK.
I’m sick and tired of it all. I’m conservative, I work hard, and I’m a Republican - for nearly my entire life. Forget about the “problems” we have as a party. Sure - the animals will say we have problems, and if they say it enough - we sure as hell can believe them.
The only problem we have, is we let a moron sink the party. We need to organize - and stop these people before they do more damage then their filthy hides already had.
2 disgusting homosexuals causing a world of trouble. Who would have guessed.
And to the rest of the country - there ARE conservatives here and we’re SUFFERING! Don’t give up on us and let us float alone here. If they could blast these abominations out of the water in California - this hole in the wall called CT shouldn’t be a problem.
Time to stand up and fight, and the rest of the country needs to STAND WITH US. We seriously need the help.
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