St. Jude Regional Catholic School and MoCo Council Member Will Jawando

 

A private school run by the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., in Rockville, Maryland, is facing scrutiny for policies in its student handbook banning braids, cornrows, twists or dreadlocks, rules which parents of Black children feel are discriminatory.

In a letter to St. Jude Regional Catholic School, Montgomery County Council member Will Jawando said a constituent preparing to send her child to the school had reached out to say she was “extremely distressed” about the school’s hairstyle policy.

You can read the entire story here.

 

My take:  

1.  Seems Jawando put out a press briefing w/o talking with anyone at the Archdiocese or School about the matter.  

2.  Will Jawando is one of the least effective MoCo Council Members.  If he wasn't screaming racism at every turn, know one would know of him.  He is a Race Pimp.  

MoCo Gov't Reduces Mass Attendance

 Yesterday, the government of Montgomery County Maryland decided that due to COVID (aka the Wuhan Virus) that all indoor religious activity must be reduced to 25% of capacity.  However, to my knowledge, there has been no indication that religious activities have helped to increase the spread of the Wuhan Virus.

As of this writing, I have not heard any comment from +Gregory, but I doubt he will say anything. 

MoCo Council President Conspires with NARAL to Shut Down Pro-Life Centers

E-mails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request have revealed that Maryland government officials and activists with the state chapter of NARAL Pro-Choice America have been working closely together on a legal effort to shut down a local pro-life pregnancy care center. 

The e-mails have also revealed a seven-part plan developed by NARAL to shut down pro-life pregnancy care centers that could indicate a nationwide strategy.

In 2010, Montgomery County passed an ordinance requiring Centro Tepeyac Silver Spring Women's Center and other pro-life pregnancy care clinics to post signs stating that they did not have doctors on staff. The county claimed it wanted to prevent pro-life clinics from giving women misleading information.

To read more, click here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/exclusive-e-mails-reveal-maryland-officials-collaborating-with-naral-to-shu

If you are as upset as I am, then you may contact:

Contact:

Montgomery County Council
Phone: 240-777-7900
E-mail: county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov

George Leventhal, President
Phone: 240-777-7811
E-mail: councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov

Maryland pregnancy care center wins decision against ‘NARAL-driven attacks’

This is something which I reported on a while back...

MONTGOMERY, MD, March 10, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Maryland-based pregnancy care center has won its lawsuit against a county law that requires it to post a notice stating it does not have doctors on staff. The law, which exempts abortion clinics from the same requirement, was permanently blocked by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

For the complete story, go to:  http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/maryland-pregnancy-care-center-wins-decision-against-naral-driven-attacks

MoCo Can't Understand that they LOST!

It seems that even after they lost in court, the MoCo Council (IDIOTS) are hell bent on appealing a federal court decision that struck down the requirement that pro-life clinics post certain signage.

You can read more about the IDIOT Council President George Berliner (D) and the rest of the story here.

They aren't worried about illegal voters or illegal aliens but we got to get that sign up. 

Catholic Standard Weekly Update

Yes, folks, it is that time again (trumpets blare, drums roll): The Catholic Standard Weekly Update.

The cover focuses on one of the new regional schools: St. Francis International School. This story also continues on Page 5 and 6.

We have some clergy appointments. This now seems to be a regular feature in the Standard appearing on Page 2 (inside cover).

There are some stories on the 5th Anniversary of Katrina.

Since it is Labor Day weekend, we have a couple of stories on the economy and labor.

We do have a Reflection by a retired worker on Labor Day by Bob Stewart. Mr. Stewart also wrote a piece last year. However, just like last year, the Catholic Standard left out of his biography that he was the head of Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) at Holy Trinity -- a dissident group. Of course, no one ever mentions the corruption of union leadership in their labor day messages, or how unions are big supporters of gay marriages, abortion, etc., or the violence they committed in support of Obama's Health Care Disaster. But, let's not let these little things stand in the way of a good opinion piece.

We have a good story on Lech Walesa by George Weigel.

The Standard has the center insert dealing with the Maryland Catholic Conference survey of candidates for Maryland Governor, Assembly and US Congress.

I would have thought that Fr. Daly's Parish Diary would reflect on Labor Day. Nope. He decided to step right into the NYC Mosque and as always, gets in way over his head on this and really misses the point.

• Did you see any mention of his support for the Orthodox Church which stood across the street from the WTC, which is cannot be rebuilt? Nope.
• Did you see any mention of the fact that the person who is pushing for the "mosque" wants to establish Sharia law in the US? I did not.
• Did you see any mention that there are apx. 100 mosques in NYC currently? Nope.
• Did you see any information that this person who wishes to establish the Mosque has changed his story a couple of times or that he is a slum lord. Nope.

I wonder if Fr. Daly was opposed to Disney's America?

We have an article about the County Council candidate forum sponsored by the Justice and Advocacy Council of MoCo of the Archdiocese of Washington. Our colleague over at Restore DC Catholicism was there and reported on it. There was no question and answer period, there was no mention of abortion, the strong arm tactics against pro-life centers, the opposition to tax credits for Catholic school parents, no discussion of gay marriage, etc.

Tell me, does not Social Justice apply to the unborn? Does not Social Justice call for tax relief to those parents who save MoCo millions of dollars each year who send their children to Catholic Schools? Does not Social Justice apply to pro-life centers. Yet not one word was asked of these candidates at the forum. FOR SHAME!

And you wonder why many of us do not trust the "social justice" crowd.

Finally, I found a very interesting article by Carole Norris Greene. She is on to something here that many of us see, but we really don't see. Take a look at it and let me know what you think.

Help Save Pregnancy Centers

UPDATE (7:30am): Pregnancy centers in Montgomery County that don't employ licensed medical professionals would have to post a sign saying so in their waiting rooms, according to new rules unanimously approved by a County Council committee Monday.

The new rules are an amended version of legislation proposed by Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg, D-at large, that specifically targeted pregnancy centers that don't provide abortions or refer clients for abortions. Trachtenberg said she was worried that those centers were providing false medical information about the consequences of having an abortion, such as linking them with breast cancer.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Montgomery-panel-OKs-new-rules-for-pregnancy-centers-82641962.html#ixzz0dinGmlJ0

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The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is on the right track in fighting to stop the Montgomery County Council from basically attempting to harass pregnancy centers out of existence.

Please go here and send the MoCo Council a message that you will not tolerate this.

Thanks to our colleague at Restore DC Catholicism.

Update: Montgomery County and Pregnancy Centers

Our friends over at Restore DC Catholicism have posted a number of updates on the suppression by the Montgomery County Council of Pregnancy Centers.

Take a look when you get a chance.

Protect Pro-Life Centers in Montgomery County Maryland

Do you live in Montgomery County Maryland? Are you Catholic? Then this is of importance to you. (This is a modified version of an email from the Maryland Catholic Conference.)

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The Montgomery County Council is about to pass a resolution that would target pregnancy resource centers, which are pro-life charities that provide both material and emotional support to pregnant women in need, so that they may have healthy pregnancies and children. The resolution would force pregnancy resource centers to tell clients upon first contract that they do not give medical advice and that the women should consult another medical provider before making a decision about her pregnancy. Failure to comply would result in a hefty daily fine.

The resolution singles out these centers because of their pro-life mission. No such requirement is made of any abortion clinics. This resolution is part of a campaign by pro-abortion groups to discredit the good work of pro-life charities. (My comment: This effort is being led by Duchy Trachtenberg, who was in a leadership position of the local NOW chapter and has been a HUGE supporter of pro-abortion and pro-homosexual issues.)

Your assistance is needed to ensure that pregnant women continue to receive support from these competent, compassionate centers. Please call the following members of the Montgomery County Council as soon as possible:

Council President Phil Andrews 240-777-7906
Council VP Roger Berliner 240-777-7828
Councilman Marc Elrich 240-777-7966
Councilwoman Valerie Ervin 240-777-7960
Councilwoman Nancy Floreen 240-777-7959
Councilman Mike Knapp 240-777-7955
Councilman George Leventhal 240-777-7811
Councilwoman Nancy Navarro 240-777-7968
Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg 240-777-7964

To send an email to them, go to www.mdcathcon.org

Pro-Life Centers are Under Attack in the Archdiocese of Washington

If you read my posting on Sunday, you would have noted that the County Council of the People's Republic of Montgomery County is going after Crisis Pregnancy Centers?

According to Duchy Trachtenberg (D) these centers provide false and misleading statements because they don't cover abortions. Mmmm...I wonder if she will require the Planned Parenthood Clinics and all those who provide abortions to cover the various studies that have been done linking abortions with depression, emotional problems with those born after an abortion, etc.

Our colleagues over at Restore DC Catholicism describe the radical anti-Catholic nature of the Montgomery County Council. Take some time and write to them.

If you don't think that this is a back handed attack on the Church, then you really need to wake up.

Anti-Catholic Bigotry Alive and Well in MoCo

I just picked up my copy of the Montgomery County Gazette to find that anti-Catholic bigotry is alive and well in Montgomery County, Maryland. (Actually, that is not really true, it has been alive and well for a long time esp. in the County Council and the Maryland State legislature, but that is another story.)

According to the Gazette:

As the battle for which private hospital can call upcounty its home picks up speed, some critics say Holy Cross Hospital, governed by Catholic religious doctrine, provides less health care coverage than any other hospital in the area and should not be allowed to expand.

But Holy Cross counters that many of the services it is morally prohibited from providing are not usually performed in a hospital anyway and that its charity work more than makes up for the few services it cannot offer.

The discussion about what Holy Cross can and can not do for its patients has heated up this month as the state's commission reviews a proposal for Holy Cross, which announced in August 2008 a plan to build a 93-bed hospital on Montgomery College's campus in Germantown, and another proposal for Adventist HealthCare, which announced in April a plan to build a 100-bed hospital on part of a health care campus in Clarksburg. It is unlikely the commission will approve both hospitals, and it has not yet set a date for when it will make a decision.

So who are the bigots that oppose this? Well, it is the usual suspects:*

• NOW - Montgomery County Chapter (aka NAGS)
• Planned Parenthood of Metro Washington (largest abortion provider)
• National Women's Law Center
• American United for the Separation of Church and State
• Pro-Choice Maryland
• MergerWatch Project

In fact, the paper goes on to say (and I think that it is a pretty balanced article) that Holy Cross treated about 9,000 uninsured patients in the Silver Spring area. Wow!

I would love to see the bigots step up to the plate and do even 50% of that amount.

So, PP, NAGs, Pro-Abortion Maryland, instead of trying to stop Holy Cross, why don't you start your own hospital/clinic and offer the level of free service that they do.

Bigots. Plain and simple.

*Note, the paper edition (A-7) names the bigots. The on-line version does not.

UPDATE (7:40am): The Washington Examiner has this story, including the bigoted opposition on the Montgomery County Council.

St. Rose of Lima. Furniture and Mont. Co. Government

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) as it currently stands is ineffective and in many instances, supports organizations which do not necessarily support Catholic teaching. It must be shut down and reorganized. Please boycott the CCHD Collection on Sunday, Nov. 23rd. Read more here.

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Now, most of you probably think that I really "hate" the folks over at St. Rose of Lima. Nope. Nothing of the sort. I do have a problem with VOTF and other stuff that goes one. From my perspective, the dissenters begin to slowly influence other groups to the point that what is in direct opposition to the Church becomes the norm.

However, my thoughts today are from an article in last week's Montgomery County Gazette (Nov. 2, 2008 Page A-41) regarding the closing of the Furniture Program at St. Rose. According to the article, it assisted the needy furnish their homes for over 20 years. A very good thing.

However, there was one thing that stuck in my mind over and over. The fact that Montgomery Country social services representatives have long depended on them for assistance.

Now, I think that it is ironic that Montgomery County which has no problem spending millions of dollars to help illegal aliens, spends over a billion dollars on an education system that may not really be working (unless you believe the test scores, which I don't), pushes through (in a dictatorial manner) a transgender bill, and yet, has to rely on others to do something like this.

Yet, when our citizens call upon government to help our Catholic schools even to subsidize secular textbooks, we are told that it is our choice and that there is no money for you.

Maybe, many of our Catholic charities should shut down, even for a few weeks, to remind our local and state officials they need us. And if we do not get some of the things we want, then they are going to have to do so much more, with so much less.

It may seem to be un-Christian but considering how Catholics and other clear thinking Christians have been treated over the years, maybe it is time to start playing a little hardball.

Montgomery County Voters Disenfranchised - A New Follow-Up

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) as it currently stands is ineffective and in many instances, supports organizations which do not necessarily support Catholic teaching. It must be shut down and reorganized. Please boycott the CCHD. Read more here.

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As many of you know, the Montogmery County Council (MD) rammed thru a bill dealing with those with gender identity issues. A number of signatures were obtained and the measure was put on the ballot to be decided in November. A number of gay and lesbian groups (who claim that they are the most open minded and liberal thinking people) fought to have it thrown off the ballot on technicalities and were successful. Thereby, they disinfranchied almost a million voters.

Note that these same "liberal, open-minded" groups seems to tell us that the majority of residents were on their side. If so, then they should have let it remain to prove themselves correct. Maybe they knew, like the County Council, that they did not have the support of the majority of residents and had to force it on the citizens. I think they were very scared they were going to lose!

Well, it seems that the matter is back in court. (HOORAY!) According to the slightly incorrect article in the Montgomery County Gazette, the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal group based in Scottsdale, Ariz., also is asking the Montgomery County Circuit Court to grant a temporary restraining order voiding the law,

Who knows, maybe the voters will get their say.

Montgomery County Voters Disenfranchised!!

Well, the citizens of Montgomery County Maryland have been disenfranchised by Chief Judge Robert M. Bell and the Court of Appeals.

As you know, the Montgomery County Council rammed through a law giving special rights to those who are "transgendered" which would also force religious institutions to hire them, even it was against their beliefs.

The Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government fought the law and was able to get it on the ballot. The Montgomery County Circuit Court issued a 25-page opinion stating that advocates for the legislation were too late in challenging the signatures collected by Citizens for Responsible Government and certified by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

However, the radical left must have been really scared to allow this to get on the ballot (since I believe that allocated over $80,000 to fight this) because they took it to the Court of Appeals. The Court has not issued the full opinion on it.

The radical left who talks about every vote counting has disenfranchised hundreds of thousands.

And one of the worst parts, the Archdiocese of Washington DC was silent on this issue.

For shame!

Help Stop the MoCo Transgender Bill

The Montgomery County Council has approved the referendum language that will go on the ballot to stop the MoCo Transgender Bill.

Although the Citizens for a Responsible Government are fighting hard to stop this bill, which will discriminate against those who believe that this is an immoral lifestyle, they are fighting the well funded gay lobby. There is still a court challenge going on but with the grace of God, it will be defeated.

I have sent in a check, I hope that you will too: http://notmyshower.net/

By the way, remember, that one of the people who voted for this bill was the same person that the Catholic Standard, the Maryland Catholic Conference and the pastor of St. John the Baptist lauded.

And, you should note, that there has not even been one word in the Catholic Standard about this? Not one word.

For shame on the Archbishop and Mr. Zimmerman.

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Help defeat Montgomery County's Gender Identity Bill 23-07 this November. Go to http://notmyshower.net.

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Vote NObama '08

Don't think this can happen here? Think again.

An Anglican Archbishop was fined almost $100,000 for not hiring a gay man and must undergo equal opportunities training in England. Read more about it here.

The Transgender Bill, which was rammed through (no pun intended) the Montgomery County Council, even though most residents were against it, makes no exception for religious institutions. So, if an Roman Catholic school refuses to hire a man, who believes he is a woman, then the institution can face some serious penalties.

This is your chance to help get it on the ballot in November and let the citizens decide. Take a moment to sign and send in the petition.

On a side note, where is Archbishop Wuerl on this one? Where is the Church?

They are silent.

That is shameful.

It will come back to haunt us.

Transgender Law Given A Pre-Test

...at a Sport and Health Club in Gaithersburg, a man wearing women's clothing walked into a women's locker room and his presence didn't go unseen by real women who were there changing. He never said a word to anyone who saw him.

For the full story, click here.

According to the law, which will go into effect in apx. a month, a man just has to "feel" he is a woman to be a "real woman."

Did we not warn that this would happen?

Now that this has taken place, will the Archdiocese of Washington DC say something or will they continue to remain silent?

Do they remain silent because they are attempting to protect some?

A Time to Fight the Montgomery County Transgender Bill

The American Family Association, in conjunction with other groups, is attempting to fight the Montgomery Council Transgender Bill by placing it on the ballot.

According to the email I received:

A referendum which will give the people of the County the chance to vote on the issue next November. We would have to collect over 20,000 signatures to get the issue on the ballot. http://www.petitiononline.com/decency/petition.html. Please forward the on-line petition link and tell your friends about this issue. If everyone on our current email subscription list signs the petitions and get 20 friends to also sign, we have enough. Make sure you tell folks to check “make email address available to author” so that we can contact them with the official referendum signature information.

Please take a moment and share this with your family and friends. It can be stopped but only if you do not remain silent.

Again, the Catholic Standard makes no mention of the Transgender Bill by the Montgomery County Council in the Nov. 15, 2007 issue. Since they go to press early in the week, they would not have had time to publish an article on the passing of the bill but for crying out loud, they could have put something in the paper.

All I can say is "SHAME" on the Catholic Standard and on the editor, Mark Zimmerman.

I wonder how much longer they will remain silent on the issue.

Transgender Bill Passes, Catholic Church Silent

The Montgomery County (MD) Council passed a Transgender non-discrimination bill (Bill 23-07) today. One of the most frightening aspects is that there is no exemption for religious organizations.

So, we have a bill that could force Catholic schools to hire a transgender or transsexual teacher or even a principal. Wouldn’t that be an interesting sight in a second or third grade class.

However, what I find very interesting is that over the last few weeks, I saw no notice in the parish bulletin asking us to write to the Council, no word from the pastor (and I consider him to be a good priest), no mention of it neither in the Catholic Standard nor from the Maryland Catholic Conference. (I did receive emails from the American Family Association (AFA) asking me to contact the Council requesting them to vote against it. I did.)

I wonder how many of my fellow parishioners voted for these council members in the last election? I wonder how many will vote again for them again because they are “open-minded” and for “social justice?” I wonder when our Catholic leaders will stand up to these politicians or is it simply too late?

Soak the Rich but let's not worry about the MoCo Transgender Bill

The Catholic Standard (Nov. 8, 2007 Page 31) ran an article entitled: Taxes, health care and slots top MCC's concerns to state lawmakers. According to the article, Richard Dowling (MCC Exec. Director) said that the tax system should be guided by three principles: raising "adequate revenues to pay for the public needs of society, especially the basic needs of the poor, structured according to the principle of progressivity, so that those with relatively greater financial resources pay a higher rate of taxation," and families below the poverty line should not have to pay income taxes."

What is the "public needs of society?" Is it public safety? Is it a free elementary education? Is it a chicken in every pot? The problem with Mr. Dowling and the MCC is that they offer no definition of "basic needs." Is it is one of those open ended statements that can mean almost anything to anyone. To some it means an apartment with hot/cold running water, a fridge and a stove. To others, it means a one family house on an tract of land with two cars. Still to others, a vacation to Disney at least once in every child's lifetime.

There is also this "soak the rich" and the "government knows what to do best with your money" Marxist mentality at the MCC. As I said in my last posting, the more you hit people up with higher taxes, the less they are going to give to charity. When you reduce taxes, you actually increase revenue and when people keep more of their money, they usually donate more of it.

Now, while the MCC was looking to "soak the rich" they seemed to miss the entire effort by the Montgomery County Council to pass Bill 23-07 which was sponsored by Councilmembers Tractenbery, Ervin and Elrich. This bill would allow "Any place of public accommodation...must not...make any distinction based on gender identity." Gender identity is defined as "an individual's actual or perceived gender..." To quote a council member when asked by the mother of a 10 year old girl about this, the reply was: "I cannot absolutely put to rest your concern that girls might find themselves in a locker room or dressing room in the presence of a person who expresses or asserts herself as a woman but who still has male genitals..."

Where the heck was the MCC on this? Nowhere to be found.

I think that Archbishop Wuerl needs to hand out a couple of pink slips at the MCC starting with Mr. Dowling.