Our Church is facing a major assault in Connecticut. Please pray. If possible, be in Hartford this Wednesday, March 11.
http://www.bridgeportdiocese.com/Fight_1098.shtml The above link includes embedded video explanation by Bishop of Bridgeport Statement of the Diocese of Bridgeport on Proposed Legislative Bill # 1098 / 2009 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 the Judiciary Committee and Sen. McDonald and Rep. Lawlor: Judiciary Committee: Capitol phone: 860-240-0530 Clerk E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] Senator Andrew McDonald: Capitol phone: 860-240-8600; Home phone: (203) 348-7439 E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] Representative Michael Lawlor: Capitol phone: 860-240-0001; Home phone: (203) 469-9725 E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] 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! <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Custom Faith-based U.S. Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/theblog/join-the-network/>The Network Directory <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "The fruit of abortion is nuclear war" - Bl. Mother Teresa + --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
