Is the MCC supporting abortion, gay marriage and the ordination of women?

Is the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC):

• Indirectly supporting abortion?
• Promoting the homosexual lifestyle, including legalization of homosexual marriage?
• Working against vouchers and tax credits for Catholic schools?
• Indirectly supporting the ordination of women?
  

The folks over at Restore DC Catholicism have posted some information (see National News) on their website about an organization called FAITH IN PUBLIC LIFE, which the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is a member.

I came across the website a few months ago, but did not blog on it, since there were more pressing issues. However, having taken a look at the website, I believe that the MCC has gotten in bed with some of the more radical Christian groups, as well as, allying itself with the Democratic Party.

Look at who is on the board of this organization:

• Sr. Catherine Pinkerton, the same sister (sorry, can’t call her a “nun”) who gave a benediction at the Democratic Convention last week. (Note that she was invited but not the bishop!) There have been a number of very critical blogs about her, esp. her role in the ordination of women and her affiliation with NETWORK.
  
• Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former Lt. Gov. of Maryland, and pro-abortion, pro-homosexual supporter.
  
• Alexia Kelley, founder of Catholics for the Alliance of the Common Good.

However, this is just a natural outcome of their movement to the left, which started with Richard Dowling and Julie Varner. (I have written about this before.)

I am calling upon the MCC to disassociate themselves from this group. Contact them and let them know that you want them to de-link themselves from this group.

I am also calling upon Archbishop Wuerl to do what should have been done a long time ago: FIRE Julie Varner and all of those who are involved in linking the MCC with this group.

Thank You MCC for hurting Catholic Education.

In a recent article in the Catholic Standard (“State funding cut for text books to non-public schools” Feb. 21, 2008 Page 7), funding for the Maryland Nonpublic Textbook/Technology Loan program has been cut by about 10% or $400,000.

For those of you who do not know, the program provides non-religious textbooks, software, and hardware to non-public schools. For example, you can purchase English books or at least defray some of the cost on a per pupil basis.

Now, you may ask why do you blame the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC)? The answer is very simple. They are supporting a number of programs which call for increases in funding, such as in-state tuition rates for illegal aliens.*

In fact, if you go to this week's paper copy of the Catholic Standard (Feb. 28 Page 6), Julie Varner the MCC's point person on support for illegal aliens, testified in front of the Maryland Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee in opposition to the denial of instate tuition for illegal aliens.

Personally, I just love her comment that illegal aliens are "in full compliance with federal immigration law." I guess entering the country without a visa or Green Card or overstaying your visa constitutes full compliance with federal law. As my friend would say: "What the heck have you been drinking?"

By lobbying for these other programs, they are only causing our legislators to cut current programs. For not announcing and targeting the lawmakers who do not support our issues, it only increases their attacks upon us, knowing that nothing will happen.

These cuts only hurt our ever stretched Catholic schools by driving up the costs and driving away students. St. Ignatius in Ft. Washington, MD will close in the Fall because there are simply not enough students and the parish cannot afford to pump another $250,000 plus into it.

So, I offer my congratulations to Julie Varner, Dick Dowling (Executive Director) and Mary Ellen Russell (Dep. Director for Education & Family Issues) of the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) on helping Catholic school families’ pay just a little bit more in tuition and fees next year.

Soon there won’t be any Catholic elementary schools and you put more focus on helping illegal aliens.


*For those of you in Annapolis, you call it “undocumented workers.” It means those who have either entered the country illegally or have overstayed their visas.

Legislative Night 2008 should be called "Let's Reward Ilegal Activity" Night

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) continues to push for a variety of benefits for “undocumented workers” (for those of you in Annapolis, it means “illegal aliens” – you know, those who have come into the country without a visa or have overstayed it).

How do they do so?

Well, as part of their Lobby Night 2008 packet, they state that they oppose the following bills:

Four bills (SB 93, SB 621, HB 288, and HB 1046) would prohibit undocumented immigrants from obtaining drivers licenses. One bill (SB 277) would imprison those who unlawfully apply for or use a drivers license and cannot prove they are present in the United States lawfully.

Wow, can you believe that they not only support giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens but the even oppose any sort of penalties to those who attempt to attain them.

What’s next free education? Why yes, of course.

And so, the Archbishop has to close Catholic schools, enrollment is down at many because parents cannot afford the tuition, the MCC can barely get money for text books for Catholic schools, but they are more than willing to push for instate tuition for those who are here illegally. All they are doing is siphoning money.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

But folks, that is not all, they also oppose the following:

One bill (SB 681) would require police officers who detain individuals determined by the officers to be undocumented, to inform the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Another (HB 1074) would require DNA samples to be collected from undocumented immigrants under arrest. Another (SB 112) would prohibit District Courts from granting pretrial release to individuals who cannot prove that they are in the United States lawfully. Three bills (SB 421, HB 735, and HB 885) would prohibit Maryland counties and municipalities from restricting their personnel from gathering or communicating information on individuals’ immigration status.

So, the MCC opposes local law enforcement to let ICE know that someone is here illegally and even to gather information on their immigration status.

Heck, why even bother to enforce any laws. So, when a priest molests a child, who cares, it’s only a child. When someone steals money donated to the Church, hey it’s only money. When a guy rapes a woman, hey, it’s only sex. (Please note, that I do not hold these views, I am only following the logic of the MCC.)

The Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Washington DC finds their elementary schools closing because of a lack of funding, anti-marriage and anti-family legislation being pushed thru and abortion the norm, because they are more worried about rewarding those who have come here illegally than focusing on many of the basics.

They ally themselves with those who claim to be supporting social justice, only to find that those are the same politicians are more than willing to turn on the Church after they have gotten their vote and support.

But the MCC keeps coming back to them. They must be gluttons for punishment.

Oh, and one last thing, if you notice that for every topic – death penalty, housing, etc. – there is a contact. Notice that for illegal aliens, there is none. Now, here is the dirty little secret – Julie Varner, Assoc. Director of Social Concerns, is the person handling this.

It is time that the Archbishop fires Richard Dowling and many of the staff at the MCC.

If he doesn’t, he won’t have to worry about Catholic schools because there will be too few of them to matter.

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Remember: Help stop the Montgomery Country Transgender Bill. Sign the petition (if you are a registered voter in MoCo.) Click here. There are only a few days left!

Another MCC Myth Busted

One of the issues that the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) and the Archbishops have pushed is for in-state tuition for illegal aliens.

Their arguement is that that these children came to the US, brought here by their parents. They had no choice. They had no knowledge of what their parents were doing. They have lived here for many years and therefore should not be punished. They too should receive a discounted education.

My argument has always been: Why do you want to reward illegal behavior?

Well, it looks like that myth has been busted by The Washington Post on January 14, 2008.

According to the article, it focuses on Marcelino Benitez who:

came to the United States with a friend when he was 15, hoping to join his mother in Loudoun. After walking across the desert for a day and a night, he was picked up in a small truck packed with other border-crossers and drive to Phoenix.

So, now we find out that not all minors who come to the US are brought here by their parents.

Another half truth from the Maryland Catholic Conference.

Personally, as I have said before, it is time to clean house and fire Richard Dowling and then Julie Varner. It is also time for the Archdiocese of Washington to stop supporting those who have broken the law.