Archbishop of Denver warns that Conn. bill threatens Catholics everywhere
Denver, Colo., Mar 9, 2009 / 05:53 pm (CNA).- Although the legislation in question was introduced in Connecticut, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has issued a statement on a bill that would effectively sever the relationship between a bishop and his pastors and parishes. Archbishop Chaput says in his statement, "What Happens in Connecticut Matters Here," that the bill is "bad public policy in every sense."
The Senate Bill 1098 was introduced last Thursday by the chairs of the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut State Legislature: Senator Andrew McDonald of Stamford and Representative Michael Lawlor of East Haven.
Sen. McDonald and Rep. Lawlor are both homosexual activists, who have opposed the local Church’s efforts to defend marriage between a man and a woman.
The bill’s supposed purpose is to increase financial oversight of the Church, following two recent embezzlement cases.
However, the proposed legislation also reorganizes the internal structure of the Church, removing the bishop as the head of the board of the parishes in his diocese and requiring the pastor to report to a board composed of laity instead of the bishop. Under the bill, the bishop is also relegated to being an "ex officio" member of the board, without voting rights.
Addressing the perception that outsiders have of the Church as "a monolith," Archbishop Chaput said that "the opposite is true."
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WEB ALERT: TARGET FOR AMENDMENT SECTION 17 of SB 899
Senate Bill 1098 was introduced by Lawlor and McDonald (both homosexual activists) as a political ploy and distraction in order to pass Senate Bill 899 with minimal opposition! SB 899 goes far beyond the codification of the Kerrigan decision imposing same –sex marriage in CT. The goal of SB 899 is to strip away important statutory protections in order to pave the way for the eventual state mandated infusion of ‘gay positive’ themes into the public school curriculum. STOP SECTION 17!!
Stop CT's Same-Sex "Marriage" Bill!
Last year, the Connecticut Supreme Court ignored the express will of the legislature and of the people by imposing same-sex "marriage" by judicial force. A bill was heard by the Judiciary Committee on March 6th to codify this outrage.
But S.B. 899 goes beyond mere legislative housekeeping. Section 17 of the bill would repeal a state law protecting public policy on a wide range of moral issues. A repeal of this law could be read to mean that the State of Connecticut 1) condones homosexuality or bisexuality or any equivalent lifestyle, 2) authorizes the promotion of homosexuality or bisexuality in educational institutions or requires the teaching in educational institutions of homosexuality or bisexuality as an acceptable lifestyle, 3) authorizes or permits the use of numerical goals or quotas, or other types of affirmative action programs, with respect to homosexuality or bisexuality in the administration or enforcement of non-discrimination laws and 4) establishes sexual orientation as a specific and separate cultural classification in society.
The law targeted by Section 17 explicitly states that Connecticut's non-discrimination laws cannot be construed to support same-sex "marriage" or the four items listed above. We must amend Section 17 to salvage that law and stop the pro same-sex "marriage" agenda from being forced on children in the public schools!
We also need to amend S.B 899 to strengthen the statute protecting religious liberty from the same-sex "marriage" agenda (Sec. 46a-81p). The redefinition of marriage in Massachusetts has led to attacks on religious freedom, while in Connecticut Justices of the Peace have been told they must perform same-sex "weddings". Given the radical nature of this new same-sex "marriage" bill, further attacks on liberty and conscience are likely.
We cannot wait for those attacks to begin. We must strike now, while this bill is going through the legislative process!
Protect Your Rights!! Call your State Legislators and Judiciary Committee Members!!!
Defeat Senate Bill 899! - Defeat Senate Bill 1098!
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