Pew Ado: Catholic Leaders Endorse Candidates Despite Growing Flock Objections

[cleanhippie]

Are members of the Catholic hierarchy saying one thing and doing another when it comes to partisan politics?

In a document outlining “political responsibility” that was adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2007, the bishops declared that the church is “involved in the political process but is not partisan” and “cannot champion any candidate.”

That’s the way the church should operate, of course, as required by federal law, which bars tax-exempt organizations from campaign intervention.

But fast forward to 2012, and it’s clear that some members of the church leadership have been ignoring the church’s official stance.

This month, Americans United reported two Catholic churches to the IRS because they took clear-cut stands on political candidates.

The New York City-based Church of Saint Catherine of Siena’s Sept. 2 bulletin contained a column by the Rev. John Farren, a member of the congregation’s pastoral staff. In it, he quoted former U.S. ambassadors to the Vatican who said: “We urge our fellow Catholics, and indeed all people of good will, to join with us in this full-hearted effort to elect Governor Mitt Romney as the next President of the United States.”

AU reported another church that issued a similar statement one month earlier. St. Raphael Catholic Church in El Paso, Texas, ran a notice in a church bulletin dated Aug. 5 that read, “I am asking all of you to go to the polls and be united in replacing our present president with a president that will respect the Catholic Church in this country. Please pass this on to all of your Catholic friends.”

http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/pew-ado-catholic-leaders-endorse-candidates-despite-growing-flock

More at link.

[fleur-de-lisa]

1. More evidence that religion is becoming irrelevant

to most sane Americans. About time!

[LiberalEsto]

2. Tax them! Tax them, I say!

If they want to get political, let them pay taxes on their church income, as well as property tax.

[defacto7]

3. The Catholic Church has put itself between

a rock and a hard place.

They are either in support of their largest constituent, Hispanics, who are also their largest financial supporter, and in support of the Hispanic right to vote as citizens, and freedom of immigration which has been one of their biggest pitches....

or

They are against women's rights and are anti-abortion which is one of the biggest mandates of their hierarchy.

Either way, they shoot off their foot.

[longship]

4. Tax-free status is not a right.

AU is a great organization. Unfortunately, the IRS is lax in enforcing their own regulations. Too bad.

I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that all churches should be taxed regardless.

[skepticscott]

5. They are afraid of the political backlash

of going after the RCC for clear, black-letter violation of tex-exempt status. Largely because they know that "liberal" and "progressive" Xstians and apologists (recognize anyone?) will side overwhelmingly with the wrongdoers in this case.