Comments on: USCCB Scandal Deepens, U.S. Bishops Remain Silent http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/ Politics and Culture from a Catholic perspective. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:17:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike Petrik http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/#comment-34888 Mike Petrik Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:45:48 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=17249#comment-34888 D Paul, That surprises me greatly. I wonder whether the "silencing" actually referred to exhortations on who to vote for or not vote for, which is a violation of federal tax law. Under federal tax law churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations may receive contributions on a tax deductible basis only if they refrain from political or partisan behavior. Within much more relaxed constraints they normally can engage in legislative or policy behavior. Telling a congregation that it is important to vote for candidates who are opposed to abortion is fine (even if somewhat simplistic from a Catholic perspective), but a minister may not tell his congregation to vote for X or against Y, at least without losing the right to receive contributions on a tax deductible basis. I'd be very surprised if AB Carlson told the priest at SFdS that he could not speak out against abortion from the pulpit. If true, that really would be quite scandalous, and shocking given that AB Carlson is among the bishops who criticized ND for awarding pro-abort Obama an honorary degree. D Paul,
That surprises me greatly. I wonder whether the “silencing” actually referred to exhortations on who to vote for or not vote for, which is a violation of federal tax law. Under federal tax law churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations may receive contributions on a tax deductible basis only if they refrain from political or partisan behavior. Within much more relaxed constraints they normally can engage in legislative or policy behavior. Telling a congregation that it is important to vote for candidates who are opposed to abortion is fine (even if somewhat simplistic from a Catholic perspective), but a minister may not tell his congregation to vote for X or against Y, at least without losing the right to receive contributions on a tax deductible basis. I’d be very surprised if AB Carlson told the priest at SFdS that he could not speak out against abortion from the pulpit. If true, that really would be quite scandalous, and shocking given that AB Carlson is among the bishops who criticized ND for awarding pro-abort Obama an honorary degree.

]]> By: D Paul http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/#comment-34887 D Paul Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:55:47 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=17249#comment-34887 Archbishoip Raymond Burke was well known for "speaking out". In an article for Time online, Amy Sullivan (Priests Spar Over What it Means to Be Catholic) alludes to the fact of his removal by the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference. In particular, the article states that because of a "calming down" of the anti-abortion rhetoric, the president was elected. In fact, I can tell you that here in St. Louis, the archbishop who replaced Burke (Carlson) silenced the Latin rite Church (St. Francis De Sales) from speaking out against abortion from the pulpit. Archbishoip Raymond Burke was well known for “speaking out”. In an article for Time online, Amy Sullivan (Priests Spar Over What it Means to Be Catholic) alludes to the fact of his removal by the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference. In particular, the article states that because of a “calming down” of the anti-abortion rhetoric, the president was elected. In fact, I can tell you that here in St. Louis, the archbishop who replaced Burke (Carlson) silenced the Latin rite Church (St. Francis De Sales) from speaking out against abortion from the pulpit.

]]> By: Tito Edwards http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/#comment-34886 Tito Edwards Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:20:00 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=17249#comment-34886 I believe they love their faith and don't like it when bishops fail in their duty to feed their sheep. Instead they hide behind man-made bureaucracies hoping that difficult issues that don't adhere to their Democratic Party Catholic leanings would just go away. I believe they love their faith and don’t like it when bishops fail in their duty to feed their sheep.

Instead they hide behind man-made bureaucracies hoping that difficult issues that don’t adhere to their Democratic Party Catholic leanings would just go away.

]]> By: Carmine Fragione http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/#comment-34885 Carmine Fragione Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:37:36 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=17249#comment-34885 MIchael Voris and Simon J. Rafe practice censorship of anyone who does not accept their messages on face value. That leads me to believe they are fake critics seeking to marginalize rather than serve any issue. MIchael Voris and Simon J. Rafe practice censorship of
anyone who does not accept their messages on face value. That leads me to believe they are fake critics
seeking to marginalize rather than serve any issue.

]]> By: Tito Edwards http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/#comment-34884 Tito Edwards Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:56:22 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=17249#comment-34884 WayneK, It is quite apparent in Europe today. France is turning into an economic basket case with gov't unions striking each day preventing Sarkozy from instituting well needed reforms. It's a slow creep towards totalitarianism. WayneK,

It is quite apparent in Europe today. France is turning into an economic basket case with gov’t unions striking each day preventing Sarkozy from instituting well needed reforms.

It’s a slow creep towards totalitarianism.

]]> By: WayneK http://the-american-catholic.com/2010/02/04/usccb-scandal-deepens-u-s-bishops-remain-silent/#comment-34883 WayneK Thu, 01 Apr 2010 22:56:25 +0000 http://the-american-catholic.com/?p=17249#comment-34883 My dealings with the USCCB and the two of the organizations it sponsors and funds leads me to believe this organization is more a socialist political group than people working to live up to the Gospels. Obama and far too many of the Democrats in office are sociast with a socialist agenda. I fear that some of the Bishops may have been sucked into the false notion that socialism serves the needs of the poor. SOcialism brings the entire society down to the level of the laziest. Socialism depleats to will and ability of the society to provide for all. My dealings with the USCCB and the two of the organizations it sponsors and funds leads me to believe this organization is more a socialist political group than people working to live up to the Gospels. Obama and far too many of the Democrats in office are sociast with a socialist agenda. I fear that some of the Bishops may have been sucked into the false notion that socialism serves the needs of the poor. SOcialism brings the entire society down to the level of the laziest. Socialism depleats to will and ability of the society to provide for all.

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